Reading with the Gods - Book 2
by Saffy1506
Summary: What would happen if Percy was the one who turned on the Olympians? What if Luke was the one who stayed behind to fight Kronos's army and save the world? In this second installment for the Reading with the Gods series, the demigods are joined by some of Hero Percy's most loved friends and family to read the Son of Neptune. Where they hope to get the answers they need.
1. Introduction

**The beginning to another great book... **

**The first chapter to the Son of Neptune.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Annabeth Chase never believed in happy endings.

She was a demigod. She knew that should wouldn't have a very long or happy life.

Sitting in the Athena cabin, she ran a comb through her tangled hair and thought about what had happened six months ago.

Back when she, and most of her friends, were transported to another reality. To read a book about that other reality. When Luke wasn't a hero, he was the traitor. And Perseus wasn't the traitor, but the hero.

Now, in her cabin, sitting on her bunk, Annabeth could hardly imagine that the whole thing really happened.

The only thing that kept her from just brushing it off as a weird hallucination, was the fact that the book they read, all the events that happened in that book, happened in her world. Jason, Leo, and Piper can to Camp Half-Blood. Jason had no memory. Then when he got back from their quest, he did.

The whole thing was just enough to almost get her mind off of Luke.

Luke.

Another thing that wouldn't leave the back of her mind.

She knew that he was at the Roman camp, (probably get pinned to stakes and burned alive). Where he had no memory. No memory of her or of the Camp.

The only thing that was keeping her together was the promise that she would be brought back to Olympus, with the other reality people, and read the next book in the series. The book that _must _have something with Luke in it. Anything.

All she wanted was answers.

Then a flash of light came.

* * *

"I'm bored!" Apollo whined.

"Again?" Artemis growled, "you were bored just an hour ago."

"I get bored easily."

"Apollo, Artemis," Zeus scowled, "shut up."

"Rude," Artemis muttered but went back to her book.

Apollo rolled his eyes and flipped through the music on his Ipod again.

Athena sighed, "are we just going to sit here?"

"Yes," Zeus didn't looked up from his magazine. "The Fates told us to gather here."

"Of course they don't say what time," Hades grumbled.

"And we can only figure it is to continue reading the books," Zeus continued, ignoring his brother.

"So we're just going to sit here, and wait for the demigods to pop in?" Demeter muttered. "That's stupid."

"What do you suggest we do?" Hera asked.

"We could just leave one person here, then the rest of us can go and do productive stuff." Demeter smiled.

"Who do you want to leave?" Poseidon asked.

"Ares."

"What?"

"I agree to that."

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea."

"I never agreed to this."

"He'll be fine with it."

"What? No I won't!"

"See? Let's just leave."

"You can't just leave me here!"

"Bye, Ares! Thanks for being a nice person for once."

"I hate all you -"

Then a flash of light interrupted the gods.

Familiar demigods were now standing in the throne room, along with a couple new people.

Annabeth, smiled. She's been waiting for this.

Zeus sighed, "that plan's out the window."

"I hate you," Ares spat.

"Yeah, I don't care."

"Introduce yourselves," Zeus ordered the demigods. "Even though we pretty much know who you are."

Annabeth took a step forward.

"Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena."

"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus."

"Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite."

"Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus."

"Conner Stoll,"

"Travis Stoll,"

"Sons of Hermes."

"Will Solace, son of Apollo."

"Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades."

"Clarisse la Rue, daughter of Ares."

"Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon."

"Luke Castellan, son of Hermes."

"Rachel Dare, oracle."

"Um, where are we?"

Everyone was so excited to be back, they didn't notice the other seven people that were standing beside them, completely lost and confused.

"What is this place?" Piper asked.

Aphrodite squeaked with excitement. "This is perfect!"

"Mom?" Piper asked.

"Oh, hi, sweethearts." Aphrodite smiled

"What's going on?" Piper asked, "are we on Olympus?"

"Sadly," Ares grumbled.

"Shut up," Aphrodite slapped him.

"Ow."

"Yes, you are in the Throne Room on Olympus."

"We're on Olympus?" Leo smirked. "This is awesome!"

"Not, really." Jason muttered. He looked uncomfortable standing in a room full of Greek gods when he was Roman.

"Yes it is! Don't be a party pooper!" Leo smiled, then winked at Silena.

"Isn't that Silena Beauregard?" Piper asked her mom. "Didn't she... die? Last summer?"

Silena sighed, "yes, but we'll all explain this later."

Tyson looked around the room, not paying attention to anything that was being said.

"This place is big," he muttered.

Grover, shuffled his hooves, "I was just in Yellow Stone! Then you flash me out..."

"Just announce yourself," Zeus rubbed his head.

"Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite."

"Leo Valdez, son of Hephastus."

"Jason Grace, son of Jupiter."

"Grover Underwood, satyr."

"Tyson, son of Poseidon."

"Sally Jackson, mortal."

"Paul Blofis, mortal."

"Oh, great," Traitor Percy muttered, "just what I needed."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, Percy looked better than he did last time he was reading with them. The scar on his face not as pronounce, and his eyes were brighter. But his attitude was still enough to annoy her to death. She was already ready to draw her knife.

Then a flash from back when they had their fest at the end of the last book. When Percy had tried to apologize to her, for betraying Camp Half-Blood, for joining Kronos's army and killing so many of Annabeth's friends.

She didn't forgive him.

"Percy?" Sally looked at Traitor Percy. "What-What happened to your face?"

Percy looked offended. Then he looked away from her, "I'm not your son."

Sally was confused, she looked up at Poseidon who glared at the traitor.

"We have a lot to explain," Poseidon muttered, "I better be the one to do the explaining."

"Yeah," Perseus muttered.

Annabeth could hear the emotion behind his voice. She strained to remember what had happened to _his _mother.

"Well," Poseidon started. "We were brought here a couple months ago. We were instructed by the Fates to read a book Titled The Lost Hero."

"The lost hero?"

"In that book we read about Jason, Piper, and Leo's quest."

"You were stalking us?" Leo asked, "that's creepy."

"You know everything?" Jason asked them.

Zeus nodded, "it was written from the trios point of view."

"Perfect," Piper muttered, "you've heard all my thoughts"

"Pretty much," Aphrodite shrugged.

"Then after we finished the book," Poseidon continued, "we were flashed back to our original realities."

"Original realities?"

"Annabeth, Percy, Rachel, Travis, and Conner, were brought from another reality. Where Luke was the one who stayed and was the hero, and Percy was the one who sided with Kronos."

Sally blinked. "So you're from the other reality?" She asked Annabeth and Percy.

Percy scowled.

"Um, yeah." Annabeth gave him a warning glared. Her Knife was still in reach.

"You don't know where our Percy is then?" She asked Poseidon, her voice cracked a little.

Poseidon sighed sadly, "I'm sorry my dear."

Sally nodded, a clenched Paul's hand.

"We think that he'd in this next book though," Thalia said. "We'll find him."

Sally smiled at Thalia.

Luke sighed, "are we going to read again? Or just explain the same stuff over and over again?"

Hermes sighed, "fine."

"Who wants to start?" Apollo asked, the book flashed into existence in his hand. "It's called the Son of Neptune."

Poseidon tensed, "I will."

**END OF INTRO**

**Review on this chapter and I might post the next chapter on Friday!**


	2. Percy 1

**I know I said I was going to post the first chapter either on Monday or today. But I was bored last Saturday and couldn't wait, so I posted it then. I know you guys already know this, I just want to explain to you why I did what I did.**

**Anyway, here's the first exciting chapter. It was so much fun to write.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**PERCY 1**

"The first chapter is Percy's," Poseidon muttered.

Sally sighed, hoping the her son was alright.

**The snake-haired ladies were starting to annoy Percy**

"Snake-haired ladies?" Rachel said, "does he mean Medusa?"

Annabeth shook her head, "it's probably Medusa's sisters, gorgons."

"At least he's alive," Paul said.

Sally nodded, but he was in trouble, like always.

"He'll get out of it," Grover said, "it's Percy."

**They should have died three days ago when he dropped a crate of bowling balls on them at the Napa Bargain Mart.**

"That is cool," Leo said, "this guy needs to teach me his fighting style. Bowling balls would be a horrible way to die!"

"This is bad," Piper said, "that means the monsters are reforming faster than last winter."

**They should have died two days ago when he ran over them with a police car in Martinez.**

"What is he doing with a police car?" Sally said. "He better not have stolen it."

"He did," Poseidon muttered.

"Perfect."

**They _definitely _should have died this morning when he cut off their heads in Tilden Park.**

"Yeah, having no head will do that to you." Thalia said.

**No matter how many times Percy killed them and watched them crumble to powder, they just kept re-forming like large evil dust bunnies.**

"Wow, Percy. Wow."

**He couldn't seem to out run them.**

**He reached the top of the hill and caught his breath. How long since he'd last killed them? Maybe two hours. They never seemed to stay dead longer than that.**

"That's bad," Annabeth muttered.

**The past few days, he'd hardly slept.**

"Perseus," Sally grumbled, "I raised you better than that."

**He'd eaten whatever he could scrounge - vending machine gummi bears, stale bagels, even a Jack in the Crack burrito, which was a new personal low.**

"That's bad," Nico muttered, "that is a personal low."

"Nico?" Grover looked at him, "how old are you?"

Nico shrugged, "pretty old." He smirked when he saw the bewildered look on Grover's face. "I'm from the future."

"You know the future us?" Tyson asked him.

Nico smiled, "I do, that is, if you survived."

"Survived what?"

"You'll see."

Silena rolled her eyes, "he never gives us a solid answer."

"And I never will," Nico was enjoying this.

"Wow."

**His clothes were torn, burned, and splattered with monster slime.**

"He better throw those away."

**He's only survived this long because the two snake-haired ladies - _gorgons, _they called themselves - couldn't seem to kill him either.**

Nico smiled.

**Their claws didn't cut his skin. Their teeth broke whenever they tried to bite him.**

Annabeth smiled, "Luke has the same thing."

"He better be thankful for that stupid gift," Nico grumbled, "it took a lot of energy to get him to take it."

"You're the one that convinced him to get it?" Sally asked Nico.

Nico sighed, "it was the only way he'd be strong enough to defeat Kronos and Luke."

Luke grunted, "in the end _I _did all the work."

**But Percy couldn't keep going much longer. Soon he'd collapse from exhaustion, and then - as hard as he was to kill, he was prety sure the gorgons would find a way.**

Everyone who know Percy sighed. The sigh was either from happiness that Percy was even alive, or the sigh was sadness because they knew that he was right.

**Where to run?**

**He scanned his surroundings. Under different circumstances, he might've enjoyed the view. To his left, golden hills rolled inland, dotted with lakes, woods, and a few herds of cows. To his right, the flatlands of Berkeley and Oakland marched west - a vast checkerboard of neightborhoods, with several million people who probably did not want their morning interrunpted by two monsters and a filthy demigod.**

"We were just there," Jason said. "Right above where I needed to be."

Piper sighed, over the past six months Jason had gotten all his memories back. He knew where the Roman camp is, and what is was called: Camp Jupiter. The thing that Piper seemed to dread the most.

**Farther west, San Francisco Bay glittered under and silvery haze. Past that, a wall of fog had swallowed most of San Francsico, leaving just the tops of skyscrapers and the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.**

**A vague sadness weighed on Percy's chest.**

"Does he have is memory?" Thalia wondered. "Or is he like Jason? With no memory?"

**The city had some connection to Annabeth - the only person he could remember from his past.**

"Awww!" Silena cooed. "That's so cute!"

"He's not supposed to have any memory," Hera muttered, "I made sure he had none."

"You took his memory?" Sally asked Hera.

Hera was going to shoot something back at her, but Poseidon jumped in.

"It's a long story, let's just leave it."

**His memory of her was frustatingly dim. The wolf had promised he would see her again and regain his memory - _if _he succeeded in his journey.**

"If," Rachel said, "that's cruel."

"Lupa doesn't hold back," Jason said, his eyes stormy, "he needs to be strong."

"It's seaweedbrain," Thalia said, "he's been told worse."

**Should he try to cross the bay?**

**It was tempting. He could feel the power of the ocean just over the horizon. Water always revived him. Salt water was the best. He'd discovered that two days ago when he had strangled a sea monster in the Carquinez Stait. If he could reach the bay, he might be able to make a last stand Maybe he could even try to drown the gorgons. But the shore was at least two miles away. He'd have to cross the entire city.**

**He hesitated for another reason. The she-wold Lupa had taught him to sharpen his senses - to trust his instincts that had been guiding him south. His homing radar was tingling like crazy now. The end of his journey was close - almost right under his feet But how could that be? There was nothing on the hilltop.**

"It's below you," Jason said, "in the tunnel."

"Don't spoil anything!" Travis hissed.

"You could at least say 'spoiler alert' before you say something like that." Conner added.

"Um... sorry?"

"You should be."

**The wind changed. Percy caught the sour scent of reptile. A hundred yards down the slope, something rustled through the woods - snapping branches, crunching leaves, hissing.**

**Gorgons.**

"Those things are fun," Ares smirked.

"There you go again," Hephaestus glared, "just like in the last book."

"Yeah, but me and Perseus have history."

**For the millionth time, Percy wished their noses weren't s good. They had always said they could _smell _him because he was a demigod - the half-blood son of some old Roman god.**

"Roman?" Sally asked. "They already made him think like that?"

Poseidon nodded, "apparently."

**Percy had tried rolling in mud, splashing through creeks, even keeping air-freshener sticks in his pockets so he'd have that new car smell; but apparently demigod stink was hard to mask.**

Traitor Percy rolled his eyes, "this guy seems real immature."

**He scrambled to the west side of the summit. It was too steep to descend. The slope plummeted eighty feet, straight to the roof of an apartment complex build into the hillside. Fifty feel below that, a highway emerged form the hill's base and wound its way toward Berkeley.**

**Great. No other way off the hill. He'd managed to get himself cornered. **

**He stared at the stream of cars flowing west toward San Francisco and wished he were in one of them. Then he realized the highway must cut through the hill. There must be a tunnel... right under his feet.**

"That's a weird place to put an entrance to a camp," Silena muttered.

**His internal radar went nuts. He _was _in the right place, just too high up. He had to check that tunnel. He needed a way down to the highway - fast.**

**He slung off his backpack. He'd managed to grab a lot of supplies at the Napa Bargain Mart: a portable GPS, duct tape, lighter, superglue, water bottle, camping roll, a Comfy Panda Pillow Pet (as seen on TV), and a Swiss army knife - pretty much ever tool a modern demigod could want. But he had nothing that would serve as a parachute or a sled.**

"He would seriously slid down that?"

**That left him two options: jump eighty feet to his death, or stand and fight. Both sounded pretty bad.**

**He cursed and pulled his pen from his pocket.**

**Then pen didn't look like much, just a regular cheap ballpoint, but when Percy uncapped it, it grew into a glowing bronze sword.**

"I want one of those!" Clarisse said.

"That's awesome!" Leo said.

**The blade balance perfectly. The leather grip fit his hand like it had been custom designed for him.**

"Well he has been using that sword for four years."

**Etched along the guard was an Ancient Greek word Percy somehow understood: _Anaklusmos - _Riptide.**

Sally smiled.

**He'd woken up with this sword his first night at the Wolf House - two months ago?**

"He was at the Wolf House?" Piper asked. "We were there!"

"Was he there the entire time that we were?" Jason asked Hera.

The Queen ignored them.

"Well that's rude," Leo muttered.

**More? He'd lost track. He'd found himself in the courtyard wearing shorts, an orange T-shirt, and a leather necklace with a bunch of strange clay beads. Riptide had been in his hand, but Percy had no idea how he'd gotten there, and only the vaguest idea who he was. He'd been barefoot, freezing, and confused. And then the wolves came...**

"So Jason get's a bus full of crazy teenagers," Leo said, "and Percy get to be freezing cold and almost eaten by wolves."

"He really doesn't remember anything," Paul muttered, "it's worse than Annabeth thought."

**Right next to him, a familiar voice jolted him back to the present: "There you are!"**

"Oh, jeez."

**Percy stumbled away from the gorgon, almost falling off the edge of a hill.**

**It was the smiley one - Beano.**

"What?"

**Okay, her name wasn't really Beano. As near as Percy could figure, he was dyslexic,**

"Really?" Thalia smiled. "I've never noticed!"

"Thalia, please."

"Sorry, Mrs. J."

**because words got twisted around when he tried to read. The first time he'd seen the gorgon, posing as a Bargain Mart greeter with a big green button that read: _Welcome! My name is STHENO, _he'd thought it said _BEANO._**

"Wow."

"Easy mistake."

**She was still wearing her green Bargain Mart employee vest over a flower-print dress. If you looked just at her body, you might think she was somebody's dumpy old grandmother - until you look down and realize she had rooster feet.**

"It's got to be hard to pick out shoes," Aphrodite muttered.

**Or you looked up and saw bronze boar tusks sticking out of the corners of her mouth. Her eyes glowed red, and her hair was a writhing nest of bright green snakes.**

"It's got to be hard to comb," Aphrodite muttered.

**The most horrible thing about her? She was still holding her big silver platter of free samples: Crispy Cheese 'n' Wieners. **

"That _must _be scary."_  
_

**Her platter was dented from all the times Percy had killed her, but those little samples looked perfectly fine. Stheno just kept toting them across Califonia so she could offer Percy a snack before she killed him. Percy didn't know why she kept doing that, but if he ever needed a suit of armor, he was going to make it out of Crispy Cheese 'n' Wieners. They were indestructable.**

"That's a good idea!" Conner smiled.

**"Try one?" Stheno offered.**

**Percy fended her off with his sword. "Where's your sister?"**

**"Oh, put the sword away," Stheno chided. "You know by now that even Celestial bronze can't kill us for long. Have a Cheese 'n' Wiener! They're on sale this week, and I'd hate to kill you on an empty stomach."**

"At least she's kind about feeding him," Sally muttered.

**"Stheno!" The second gorgon appeared on Percy's right so fast, he didn't have time to react. Fortunately she was too busy glaring at her sister to pay him much attention. "I told you to sneak up o him and kill him!"**

"They suck at planning," Luke grumbled.

"Is that _the _Luke?" Sally whispered to Grover.

Grover nodded, "yeah, he died last summer. Must've been brought back to read with us."

"Hmm," Sally said.

**Stheno's smiled wavered. "But, Euryale..." She said the name so it rhymed with _Muriel. _"Can't I give him a sample first?"**

**"No, you imbecile!" Euryale turned toward Percy and bared her fangs.**

**Except for her hair, which was a nest of coral snakes instead of green vipers, she looked exactly like her sister. Her Bargain Mart vest, her flowery dress, even her tusks were decorated with 50% _OFF _stickers. Her name badge read: _Hello! My name is DIE, DEMIGOD SCUM!_**

The demigods didn't laugh. But all the gods thought it was pretty funny.

"That's... a good... one!" Ares muttered between laughter.

"I need that... on the back of my car!" Apollo was laughing so hard, he was almost crying.

Athena was the only one not laughing. "You have demigod children, you idiots. You're pretty much saying you want to kill your own children."

Will and Clarisse glared.

"Um," Apollo stopped laughed. "No, it's just that, that was a good joke. For a monster."

"Yeah!" Ares jutted in. "What he said."

**"You've led us on a chase, Percy Jackson." Euryale said. "But now you're trapped, and we'll have our revenge!"**

**"The Cheese 'n' Wieners are only $2.99," Stheno added helpfully. "Grocery department, aisle three."**

**Euryale snarled. "Stheno, the Bargain Mart was a _front! _You're going native! Now, put down that ridiculous tray and help me kill this demigod. Or have you forgotten that he's the one who vaporized Medusa?"**

"You have to bring that up," Grover shuddered, "that was terrifiying."

**Percy stepped back. Six more inches, and he'd be tumbling through thin air. "Look, ladies, we've been over this. I don't even _remember _killing Medusa. I don't remember anything! Can't we just call a truce and talk about your weekly specials?"**

**Stheno gave her sister a pouty look, which was hard to do with giant bronze tusks. "Can we?"**

"Seriously?"

**"No!" Euryale's red eyes bored into Percy. "I don't care what you remember, son of the sea god. I can smell Medusa's blood on you."**

"We killed her like five years ago!" Grover said. "How can he still smell like her?"

**"It's faint, yes, several years old, but _you _were the last one to defeat her. She _still _has not returned from Tartarus. It's your fault!"**

**Percy didn't really get that. The whole "dying then returning from Tartars" concept gave him a headache.**

"You already know about it though," Silena muttered. "Jeez, take his memory away and all his common sense flies out the window."

"You sound like Annabeth," Beckendorf said.

**Of course, so did the idea that a ballpoint pen could turn into a sword, or that monsters could disguise themselves with something called the Mist, or that Percy was the son of a barnacle encrusted god from five thousand years ago.**

Poseidon snorted, "barnacle encrusted?"

"He knows what he's talking about," Hades smirked.

"Shut up!"

**But he _did _believe it. Even though his memory was erased, he knew he was a demigod the same way he knew his name was Percy Jackson. From his very frist conversation with Lupa the wolf, he'd accepted that this crazy messed-up world of gods and monsters was his reality. Which pretty much sucked.**

"Tell us about it."

**"How about we call it a draw?" he said. "I can't kill you. You can't kill me. If you're Medusa's sisters - like _the _Medusa who turned people to stone - shouldn't I be petrified by now?"**

**"Heroes!" Euryale said with disgust. "They always bring that up, just like our mother! 'Why can't yo turn people to stone? Your _sister _can turn people to stone.' Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, boy! That was Medusa's curse alone. _She _was the most hideous one in the family. She got all the luck!"**

"They must have a weird family," Leo muttered.

**Stheno looked hurt. "Mother said _I _was the most hideous."**

**"Quiet!" Euryale snapped. "As for you, Percy Jackson, it's true you bare the mark of Achilles. That makes you a little tougher to kill. But don't worry. We'll find a way."**

**"The mark of what?"**

"This is sad," Thalia said, "he's even more retarded than usual."

**"Achilles," Stheno said cheerfully. "Oh, he was _gorgeous! _Dipped in the River Styx as a child, you know, so he was invulnerable except for a tiny stop on his ankle. That's what happened to you, dear. Someone must've dipped you in the Styx and made your skin like iron. But not to worry. Heores like you always have a weak spot. We just have to find it, and then we can kill you. Won't that be lovely? Have a Cheese 'n' Wiener!"**

Luke smirked. He wasn't sure if he still had his Achilles heel, since he died. But he remember swimming in the Stxy, the burn as the water touched his skin, and the only thing that kept him above the darkness. That memory was a strange one. And one he wasn't about ready to think about. Not here. Not ever.

**Percy tried to think. He didn't remember any dip in the Styx. Then again, he didn't remember much of anything. His skin didn't feel like iron, but it would explain how he'd held out so long against the gorgons.**

"This guy is awesome!" Conner said.

"The reason Luke survived the war was because of his Achilles heel." Travis muttered.

"What do you mean?" Sally asked.

"Our hero of Olympus was Luke, Hero Luke." Annabeth muttered. "He got the same thing. That's why he defeated Kronos."

"Now this Hero Percy can survive without even knowing he had it." Rachel smiled. "He must be something."

Annabeth scowled, she suddenly felt angry at her friends. They were siding with the other reality. Leaving their home behind.

**Maybe if he fell down the mountain... would he survive? He didn't want to risk it - not without something to slow the fall, or a sled, or...**

**He looked at Stheno's large silver platter of free samples.**

**Hmm...**

**"Reconsidering?" Sethno asked. "Very wise, dear. I added some gorgon's blood to these, so your death will be quick and painless."**

"Gross."

**Percy's throat constricted. "You added your blood to the Cheese 'n' Wieners?"**

**"Just a little." Stheno smiled. "A tiny nick on my arm, but your sweet to be concerned. Blood from our right side can cure anything, you now, but blood from our left side is deadly -"**

"Why are monsters so stupid?"

**"Yo dimwit!" Euryale screeched. "You're not supposed to tell him that! He won't eat the wieners if you tell him they're poisoned!"**

**Stheno looked stunned. "He won't? But I said it would be quick and painless."**

Sally shook her head. "At least they're slow, he'll get away."

"It's Percy," Grover muttered, "he will."

**"Never mind!" Euryale's fingernails grew into claws. "We'll kill him the hard way - just keep slashing until we find the weak spot. Once we defeat Percy Jackson, we'll be more famous than Medusa! Our patron will reward us greatly."**

"They'll become famous?" Rachel said. "Is he really that amazing?"

"Brother is awesome!" Tyson said. "He can kill everything!"

"He can't be that cool," Travis said. "Luke can do that too."

"Yeah, but he wasn't that known among the monsters." Clarisse said. "He was more known with demigods."

**Percy gripped his sword. He'd have to time his move perfectly - a few seconds of confusion, grab the platter with his left hand...**

"This is a bad idea," Silena muttered.

"It's a Percy idea," Beckendorf explained.

**Keep them talking, he thought.**

**"Before you slash me to bits," he said, "who's this patron you mentioned?"**

**Euryale sneered. "The goddess Gaea, of course!"**

"More monsters that are under her control," Jason said, "great."

**"The one who brought us back from oblivion! You won't live long enough to meet her, but your friends below will soon face her wrath. Even now, her armies are marching south. At the Feast of Fortune, she'll awaken, and the demigods will be cut down like - like -"**

**"Like our prices at the Bargain Mart!" Stheno suggested.**

"The Feast?" Jason turned pale. "That's a bad time to plan an attack. It will send the whole camp in total panic."

**"Gah!" Euryale stormed toward her sister. Percy took the opening. He grabbed Stheno's platter, scattering poisoned Cheese 'n' Wieners, and slashed Riptide across Euryale's waist, cutting her in half.**

"That was fast."

**He raised the platter, and Stheno found herself facing her own greasy reflection.**

**"Medusa!" She screamed.**

**Her sister Euryale had crumbled to dust, but she was already starting to re-form, like a snowman un-melting.**

**"Stheno, you fool!" she gurgled as her half-made face rose from the mound of dust. "That's just your own reflection! Get him!"**

"Oh, wow."

**Percy slammed the metal tray on top of Stheno's head, and she passed out cold.**

**He put the platter behind his butt, said a silent prayer to whatever Roman god oversaw stupid sledding tricks, and jumped off the side of the hill.**

"Oh, Percy," Sally shook her head.

"That's it," Poseidon muttered. "A great note to end on."

"At least he's away from the gorgons," Grover said. "He can get away now."

"Who want's to read next?" Poseidon asked.

"I'll read," Sally said.

**END OF PERCY 1**

**And this is the first chapter to the second book! I hope you guys like it. I had trouble writing this week. It's the last day of school and I've had like five field trips and parties that I've been going to. Also sometime this summer I supposed to be away to my aunt's for four weeks. So I might have to take breaks for this. But I will always come back to you.**


	3. Percy 2

**Sorry it took me so long to update. I had some family issues this week. But I got to write a little bit! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**PERCY 2**

**The thing about plummeting downhill at fifty miles an hour on a snake platter - if you realize it's a bad idea when you're halfway down, it's too late.**

"Really?" Percy rolled his eyes. "I never would've guessed."

"His plans suck," Thalia muttered.

**Percy narrowly missed a tree, glanced off a boulder, and spun a three-sixty as he shot toward the highway. The stupid snack tray did not have power steering.**

"We should try sledding with a snack platter," Conner suggested.

Travis smiled, "totally."

**He heard the gorgon sisters screaming and caught a glimpse of Euryale's coral-snake hair at the top of the hill, but he didn't have time to worry about it. The roof of the apartment building loomed below him like the prow of a battleship. Head-on collision in ten, nine, eight...**

Paul shook his head. "Does he do stupid things like this a lot?" he asked Percy's friends.

Grover sighed, "yeah, pretty much."

Thalia smirked, "but the funny part is that most of the time his plans work out."

"Only if Annabeth is there," Grover said.

"Yeah."

**He managed to swivel sideways to avoid breaking his legs on impact. The snack platter skittered across the roof and sailed through the air. The platter went one way. Percy went the other.**

"He better not get hurt," Sally said.

**As he fell toward the highway, a horrible scenario flashed through his mind: his body smashing against an SUV's windshield, some annoyed commuter trying to push his off with the wipers. ****_Stupid sexteen-year-old kid falling from the sky! I'm late!_**

"That's rude."

**Miraculously, a gust of wind blew him to one side - just enough to miss the highway and crash into a clump of bushes. It wasn't a soft landing, but it was better than asphalt.**

**Percy groaned. He wanted to lie there and pass out, but he had to keep moving.**

**He struggled to his feet. HIs hands were scratched up, but no bones seemed to be broken. He still had his backpack. Somewhere on the sled ride he'd lost his sword, but Percy knew it would eventually reappear in his pocket in pen from. That was part of its magic.**

"I really need that," Percy said. "It's not fair that he got it when I didn't." He glared up at his father, who glared back.

"I don't know why the other reality me didn't give it to you," Poseidon said. "So don't glare at me, when I wasn't a part of your life."

**He glanced up hill. The gorgons were hard to miss, with their colorful snake hair and their bright green Bargain Mart vests. They were picking their way down the slope going slower than Percy but with a lot more control.**

"He did it the fun way."

**Those chicken feet must've been good for climbing. Percy figured he had maybe five minutes before they reached him.**

**Next to him, a tall chain-link fence separated the highway from a neighborhood of winding streets, cozy houses, and tall eucalyptus trees. The fence was probably there to keep people from getting onto the highway and doing stupid things - like sledding into the fast lane on snack trays - but the chain-link was full of big holes. Percy could easily slip through into the neighborhood. Maybe he could find a car and drive west to the ocean. He didn't like stealing cars,**

"He better not," Sally grumbled.

**but over the past few weeks, in life-and-death situations, he'd "borrowed" several, including a police cruiser. He's meant to return them, but they never seemed to last very long.**

"This guy it awesome!" Travis laughed. "I want to be like him when I grow up."

Luke rolled his eyes. "He's not _that _awesome."

"He's _way _cooler than Hero Luke," Perseus smirked.

Annabeth glared.

"What? He _is!_"

**He glanced east. Just as he'd figured, a hundred yards uphill the highway cut through the case of the cliff. Two tunnel entrances, one for each direction of traffic, stared down at him like eye sockets of a giant skull. In the middle, where the nose would have been, a cement wall jutted from the hillside, with a metal door like the entrance to a bunker.**

**It might have been a maintenance tunnel. That's probably what mortals thought, if they noticed the door at all. But they couldn't see through the Mist. Percy knew the door was more than that.**

**Two kids in armor flanked the entrance. They wore bizarre mix of plumed Roman helmets, breastplates, scabbards, blue jeans, purple T-shirts, and white athletic shoes.**

"Sounds colorful," Aphrodite said.

**The guard on the right looked like a girl, though it was hard to tell for sure with all the armor. The one on the left was a stocky guy with a bow and quiver on his back. Both kids held long wooden staffs with iron spear tips, like old-fashioned harpoons.**

**Percy's internal radar was pinging like crazy. After so many horrible days, he'd finally reached his goal. His instincts told him that if he could make it inside that door, he might find safety for the first time since the wolves had sent him south.**

"Or they could kill him on sight," Jason said.

"Way to be positive," Grover grumbled.

**So why did he feel such dread?**

"Even he knew that it was the wrong place," Jason said to himself. "It wasn't just me."

**Farther up the hill, the gorgons were scrambling over the roof of the apartment complex. Three minutes away - maybe less.**

**Part of him wanted to run to the door in the hill. He'd have to cross the median of the highway, but then it would be a short sprint. He could make it before the gorgons reached him.**

**Part of him wanted to head west to the ocean. That's where he'd be safest.**

"We'll yeah, that makes sense."

**That's where his power would be greatest. Those Roman guards at the door made him uneasy. Something inside him said: **_**This isn't my territory. This is dangerous.**_

**"You're right of course," said a voice next to him.**

"Someone can read his mind?" Paul asked.

"It's probably a god," Thalia muttered, "knowing Percy's luck..."

**Percy jumped. At first he thought Beano had managed to sneak up on him again, but the old lady sitting in the bushes was even more repulsive than a gorgon. She looked like a hippie who'd been kicked out to the side of the road maybe forty years ago, where she'd been collecting trash and rags ever since.**

"Perseus!" Sally looked angry. "That's rude! I raised you better than that!"

The demigods laughed.

Well... everyone except Traitor Percy.

**She wore a dress made of tie-dyed cloth, ripped-up quilts, and plastic grocery bags. Her frizzy mop of hair was gray-brown, like root-beer foam, tied back with a peace-sign headband. Warts and moles covered her face. When she smiled, she showed exactly three teeth.**

"Gross!" Conner groaned. "This dude is seriously good at giving gross descriptions."

"It's just the way his mind is made," Sally smiled.

**"It isn't a maintenance tunnel," she confided. "It's the entrance to camp."**

**A jolt went up Percy's spine. ****_Camp. _****Yes, that's where he was from. A camp. Maybe this was home. Maybe Annabeth was close by.**

"Wrong camp dude," Leo said, "you're on the wrong side of the country."

**But something felt wrong.**

**The gorgons were still on the roof of the apartment building. Then Stheno shrieked in delight and pointed in Percy's direction.**

"Crap."

**The old hippie lady raised her eyebrows. "Not much time, child. You need to make you choice."**

"What is she talking about? What choice?" Silena scowled. "He just got there and you never told him that he needed to decided between anything, yet."

**"Who are you?" Percy asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know. The last thing he needed was another harmless mortal who turned out to be a monster.**

**"Oh, you can call me June." The old lady's eyes sparkled as if she'd made an excellent joke. "It ****_is _****June, isn't it? They named the month after me!"**

"She's crazy..."

**"Okay... Look, I should go. Two gorgons are coming. I don't want them to hurt you."**

**June clasped her hands over her heart. "How sweet! But that's part of your choice!"**

**"My choice..." Percy glanced nervously toward the hill. The gorgons had taken off their green vests. Wings sprouted from their backs - small bat wings, which glinted like brass.**

"Oh, yeah!" Ares smirked. "I forgot they could to that."

"I didn't," Hades smiled, "I just didn't want to remind Poseidon to make him more anxious."

"You two are so nice to me."

**Since when did they have ****_wings? _****Maybe they were ornamental. Maybe they were too small to get a gorgons into the air. Then the two sisters leaped off the apartment building and soared toward him.**

_**Great. Just great.**_

"Totally," Piper said.

"It seems like this guy has even worse luck than we do!" Leo said.

Jason rolled his eyes, but Thalia laughed.

"You finally get something right, Valdez!"

**"Yes, a choice," June said, as if she were in no hurry. "You could leave me here at the mercy of the gorgons and go to the ocean. You'd make it safely, I guarantee. The gorgons will be quite happy to attack me and let you go. In the sea, no monster would bother you. You could begin a new life, live to a ripe old age, and escape a great deal of pain and misery that is in your future."**

"I'd take that deal," Travis said.

**Percy was pretty sure he wasn't going to like the second option. "Or?"**

**"Or you could do a good deed for an old lady," she said. "Carry me to the camp with you."**

"Carry her!" Aphrodite scowled. "Than you'd mess up your clothes with hippie smells! Gross."

**"Carry you?" Percy hoped she was kidding. Then June hiked up and her skirts and showed him her swollen purple feet.**

A couple people gagged.

**"I can't get myself," she said. "Carry me to camp - across the highway, through the tunnel, across the river."**

**Percy didn't know what river she meant, but it didn't sound easy. June looked pretty heavy.**

"C'mon Percy!" Thalia cheered. "You're buff! I've seen your six-pack."

Sally looked at her shocked.

"Hey!" Thalia held up her hands in defence. "He swims a lot, it's hard to miss sometimes!"

"Sure," Leo muttered.

**The gorgons were only fifty yards away now - leisurely gliding toward him as if they knew the hunt was almost over.**

**Percy looked at the old lady. "And I'd carry you to this camp because -?"**

**"Because it's a kindness!" she said. "And if you don't, the gods will de, the world we know will perish, and everyone from your old life will be destroyed. Of course, you wouldn't remember them, so I supposed it won't matter. You'd be safe at the bottom of the sea."**

"But he'd be alone," Beckendorf said.

"He couldn't last forever alone," Silena said.

**Percy swallowed. The gorgons shrieked with laughter as the soared in for the kill.**

**"If I go to the camp," he said, "will I get my memory back?"**

**"Eventually," June said. "But be warned, you will sacrifice much! You'll lose the mark of Achilles. You'll feel pain, misery, and loss beyond anything you've every known. But you might have a chance to save your old friends and family, to reclaim your old life."**

"She's not giving him an easy choice." Hades muttered.

Poseidon sighed.

**The gorgons were circling right overhead. They were probably studying the old woman, trying to figure out who the new player was before they struck.**

"He's going to die," Ares chuckled. "Finally Perseus Jackson will die."

"Ares!" Aphrodite smacked him on the arm. "You're being a jerk again. And his mother is right there! Just because you lost to him when he was twelve doesn't mean you get to wish his death."

"Yes it does," Hermes muttered.

Aphrodite scowled at him.

"What?" Hermes looked innocent. "Ares does that with _everyone _that defeats him. He just hates Percy because he knows that he's stronger than he is."

"He's a mortal!" Ares sneered. "No mortal is stronger than me."

"Whatever Ares," Hermes smirked.

**"What about those guards at the door?" Percy asked.**

**June smiled. "Oh, they'll let you in, dear. You can trust those two. So, what do you say? Will you help a defenseless old woman?"**

"Of course he will," Nico grumbled, "Percy always has to be the hero."

**Percy doubted JUne was defenseless. At worst, this was a trap. At best, it was some kind of test.**

"He's not too stupid," Athena said.

**Percy hated tests. Since he'd lost his memory, his whole life was one big fill-in-the-blank. He was _, from _. He felt like _, and if the monsters caught him, he'd be _.**

"Dead."

**Then he thought about Annabeth, the only part of his old life he was sure about. He ****_had _****to find her.**

"I wish he didn't think about her so much," Athena grumbled.

"He doesn't remember anything else!" Aphrodite cooed, "it's so cute!"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Even if he could remember everything else, she would still be the only one he'd think about."

Piper raised her eyebrow, Nico said that with anger. But why?

**"I'll carry you." He scooped up the old woman.**

**She was lighter than he expected. Percy tried to ignore her sour breath and her calloused hands clinging to his neck.**

"She better not get grabby with him," Rachel muttered, "that would just be..."

"Weird." Grover grumbled. "Why would you even think she would?"

"I don't know," Rachel smirked.

"Who wouldn't?" Silena said.

**A driver honked. Another yelled something that was lost in the wind. Most just swerved and looked irritated, as if they had to deal with a lot of teenagers carrying old hippie woman across the freeway here in Berkeley.**

**A shadow fell over him. Stheno called down gleefully, "Clever boy! Found a goddess to carry, did you?"**

**A goddess?**

"Which goddess is a hippie lady?" Conner asked.

**June cackled with delight, muttering, "Whoops!" as a car almost killed them.**

Sally muttered something under her breath before she continued.

**Somewhere off to his left, Euryale screamed, "Get them! Two prizes are better than one!"**

**Percy bolted across the remaining lanes. Somehow he made it to the median alive. He saw the gorgons swooping down, cars swerving as the monsters passed over head. He wondered what the mortals saw through the Mist - giant pelicans? Off-course hand gliders? **

"That would be cool!"

**The wold Lupa had told him that mortal minds could believe just about anything - except the truth.**

**Percy ran for the door in the hillside. June got heavier with every step. Percy's heart pounded. His ribs ached.**

**One of the guards yelled. The guy with the bow knocked a arrow, Percy shouted, "Wait!"**

"He's not going to shoot him," Paul said, "is he?"

"Nah," Apollo said, "he's going to help."

**But the boy wasn't aiming at him. The arrow flew over Percy's head. A gorgon wailed in pain. The second guard readied her spear, gesturing frantically at Percy to hurry.**

**Fifty feet from the door. Thirty feet.**

**"Gotcha!" shrieked Euryale. Percy turned as an arrow thumped into her forehead. **

"That's gotta hurt..."

**Euryale tumbled into the fast lane. A truck slammed into her and carried to backward a hundred yards, but she just climbed over the cab, pulled the arrow out of her head, and launched back into the air.**

**Percy reached the door. "Thanks," he told the guards. "Good shot."**

"No time to hand out compliments!" Thalia groaned.

"Brother's alive?" Tyson asked.

Grover sighed, "yeah, Tyson, he's fine."

"Yeah!"

"Well, so far..."

**"That should've killed her!" the archer protested.**

**"Welcome to my world," Percy muttered.**

**"Frank," the girl said. "Get them inside, quick! Those are gorgons."**

**"Gorgons?" The archer's voice squeaked. It was hard to tell much about him under the helmet, but he looked stout like a wrestler, maybe fourteen or fifteen. "Will the door hold them?"**

**In Percy's arms, June cackled. "No, no it won't. Onward, Percy Jackson! Through the tunnel, over the river!"**

"This goddess is getting on my nerves," Beckendorf grumbled.

Leo stared at his brother. He realized that he was _the _Beckendorf a while ago, when Piper whispered in his ear that the girl sitting next to him, holding his hand, was Silena. The Aphrodite girl that died a few days after her boyfriend, Beckendorf.

He couldn't believe that he was reading a book with two dead people. They both looked perfectly alive. They didn't look transparent like a ghost or anything. They looked solid. They still unnerved him.

But what made him more nervous what the fact that Beckendorf was the brilliant hero from his cabin. He was better than Leo in every way. He could make anything, and was a leader. Leo wasn't really any of those things. Sure he can think of a giant war ship, it was even almost finished. But he kept finding faults. Things were going wrong with the ship, and no matter how hard Leo tried, it wasn't flawless.

Beckendorf could make it perfect, in one go. His cabinmates told him so. They didn't mean is to insult Leo, they would just say it when they see something that no one can figure out. Then they mutter that Charles Beckendorf could figure it out, no problem.

**"Percy Jackson?" The female guard was darker-skinned, with curly hair sticking out of the sides of her helmet. She looked younger than Frank - maybe thirteen. her sword scabbard came down almost to her ankle. Still, she sounded like she was the one in charge. "Okay, you're obviously a demigod. But who's the -?" She glanced at June. "Never mind. Just get inside. I'll hold them off."**

"She sounded like she knew him," Annabeth said.

"That's Hazel," Jason confirmed. "She wasn't there long before I was taken. She shouldn't know him."

**"Hazel," the boy said. "Don't be crazy."**

**"Go!" she demanded.**

**Frank cursed in another language - was it Latin? - and opened the door. "Come on!"**

"Do you know Frank?" Piper asked him.

Jason bite his lip, concentrating. "No, he must be new."

**Percy followed, staggering under the weight of the old lady, who was ****_definitely _****getting heavier. He didn't know how that girl Hazel would hold off the gorgons by herself, but he was too tired to argue.**

**The tunnel cut through solid rock, about the width and height of a school hallway. At first, it looked like a typical maintenance tunnel, with electric cables, warning signs, and fuse boxes on the walls, lightbulbs in wire cages along the ceiling. As they ran deeper into the hillside, the cement changed into tiled mosaic. The lights changed to reed torches, with burned but didn't smoke. A few hundred yards ahead, Percy saw a square of daylight.**

**The old lady was heavier now than a pile of sandbags. Percy's arms shook from the strain. June mumbled a song in Latin, like a lullaby, which didn't held Percy concentrate.**

"This book is going to have a lot of Latin, isn't it?" Clarisse grumbled.

"They're Roman," Jason defended, "that's what they-we speak."

**Behind them, the gorgons' voices echoed int he tunnel. Hazel shouted. Percy was tempted to dump June and ran back to help, but then the entire tunnel shook with the rumble of falling stone. There was squawking sound, just like the gorgons had made when Percy had dropped a crate of bowling balls on them in Napa. He glanced back. The west end of the tunnel was no filled with dust.**

"Did that Hazel girl just destroy the tunnel?" Piper asked.

Nico smirked, "she's good at that."

"You know her?" Silena asked the older version of her friend.

Nico nodded, "I might."

**"Shouldn't we check on Hazel?" he asked.**

**"She'll be okay - I hope," Frank said. "She's good underground. Just keep moving! We're almost there."**

**"Almost where?"**

**June chuckled. "All roads lead there, child. You should know that."**

**"Detention?" Percy asked.**

"Seriously?" Paul rubbed his head. "He says that now? Is he ever serious?"

Grover smiled, "no. Not really."

"He's just trying to keep the mood light," Thalia said. "He keeps people going."

Sally smiled.

**"Rome, child," the old woman said. "Rome."**

"I like Greece better," Apollo grumbled.

"Of course you do," Artemis muttered.

**Percy wasn't sure he'd heard her right. True, his memory was gone. His brain hadn't felt right since he had woken up at the Wolf House. But he was pretty sure Rome wasn't in California.**

**They kept running. The glow at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, and finally they burst into the sunlight.**

**Percy froze.**

"More monsters?" Poseidon grumbled.

"Don't be a mope," Demeter scowled at him, "your son's still alive, so be happy."

Poseidon rolled his eyes.

**Spread out at his feet was a bowl-shaped alley several miles wide. the basin floor was rumpled with smaller hills, golden plains, and stretches of forest. A small clear river cut a winding course from a lake in the center and around the perimeter, like a capital G.**

**The geography could've been anywhere in northern California - live oaks and eucalyptus trees, gold hills and blue skies. That big inland mountain - what was it called, Mount Diablo? - rose in the distance, right where it should be.**

**But Percy felt like he'd stepped into a secret world. In the center of the valley, nestled by the lake, was a small city of white marble buildings with red-tiled roofs. Some had domes and columned porticoes, like national monuments. Others looked like palaces, with golden doors and large gardens. He could see an open plaza with freestanding columns, fountains, and statues. A five-story-tall Roman coliseum gleamed in the sun, next to a long oval arena like a racetrack.**

"Nice place you got there, Jason," Leo told his friend.

Jason didn't move, he stared at the tiled floor, clenching his hands.

Piper couldn't tell if he was mad or just frustrated that his memories were still not there exactly.

**Across the lake to the south, another hill was dotted with even more impressive building - temples, Percy guessed. Several stone bridges crossed the river as it wound through the valley, and in the north, a long line of brickwork arches stretched from the hills into the town. Percy thought it looked like an elevated train track. Then he realized it must be an aqueduct.**

**The strangest part of the valley was right below him. About two hundred yards away, just across the river, was some sort of military encampment. It was about a quarter mile square with earthen ramparts on all four sides, the tops lined with sharpened spikes. Outside the walls ran a dry moat, also studded with spikes. Wooden watchtowers rose at each corner, manned by sentries with oversized, mounted crossbows. Purple banners hung from the towers. A wide gateway opened on the far side of camp, leading toward the city. A narrower gate stood closed on the riverbank side. Inside, the fortress bustles with activity: dozens of kids going to and from the barracks, carrying weapons, polishing armor. Percy heard the clank of hammers at the forge and smelled meat cooking over a fire.**

"Jeez," Sally said, "he's actually very observing."

"Surprising," Ares grunted.

"That's where you're from Jason?" Piper asked him. She was holding his hand when they first sat down to read, but now he had them folded together on his lap. His face was paler, but his eyes were brighter.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"I can't decide if that place is _really _pretty," Will said, "or _really _scary."

**Something about this place felt very familiar, yet not quite right.**

**"Camp Jupiter," Frank said. "We'll be safe once -"**

**Footsteps echoed in the tunnel behind them. Hazel burst into the light. She was covered with stone dust and breathing hard. She'd lost her helmet, so her curly brown hair fell around her shoulders. Her armor had long slash marks in front from the claws of a gorgon. One of the monsters had tagged her with a 50% _OFF _sticker.**

"I guess Hazels are 50% _0FF _today," Travis tried to make a joke, but it was horrible.

"Haha," Luke said sarcastically, "that was really funny."

Travis rolled his eyes, "our Luke would think it was funny."

"Or at least he was be better at faking a laugh," Conner grumbled.

**"I slowed them down," she said. "But they'll be here any second."**

**Frank cursed. "We have to get across the river."**

**June squeezed Percy's neck tighter. "Oh, yes, please. I can't get my dress wet."**

"What?" Demeter scowled. "Her dress sucks, why should she care if it's wet?"

**Percy bit his tongue. If this lady was a goddess, she must've been the goddess of smelly, heavy, useless hippies. But he'd come this far. He'd better keep lugging her along.**

_**It's a kindness,**_** she's said. _And if you don't, the gods will die, the world we know will perish, and everyone from your old life will be destroyed._**

"I don't really want to get destroyed," Grover whimpered, "I have so much to live for."

**If this was a test, he couldn't afford to get an F.**

**He stumbled a few times as they ran for the river. Frank and Hazel kept him on his feet.**

"I like them," Sally smiled.

"Percy can make friends anywhere," Thalia rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

Other Percy grumbled something, but no one could understand it. It was something along the lines of, "I hate _, they _. Losers."

**They reached the riverbank, and Percy stopped to catch his breath. The current was fast, but the river didn't look deep. Only a stone's throw across stood the gates of a fort.**

**"Go, Hazel." Frank knocked two arrows at once. "Escort Percy so the sentries don't shoot him. It's my turn to hold of the baddies."**

"Baddies?"

**Hazel nodded and waded into the stream.**

**Percy started to follow, but something made his hesitate. Usually he loved the water, but this river seemed... powerful, and not necessarily friendly.**

"This is bad," Poseidon said. "It's going to wash away the mark of Achilles."

Nico frowned, "I worked so hard to get him to get that stupid curse."

"What do you mean he'll lose it?" Sally asked the god.

Poseidon scowled, "It's Greek. Percy's going into Roman territory, he has to lost it to enter."

"So he won't have tough skin anymore?" Tyson asked his father.

Poseidon shook his head, "it'll be stripped from his body. He will be vulnerable again."

"Perfect." Paul grumbled.

**"The Little Tiber," said June sympathetically. "It flows with the power of the original Tiber, river of the empire. This is your last chance to back out, child. The mark of Achilles is a Greek blessing. You can't retain it if you cross into Roman territory. The Tiber will wash it away."**

**Percy to too exhausted to understand all that, but he got the main point. "If I cross, I won't have iron skin anymore?"**

**June smiled. "So what will it be? Safety, or a future of pain and possibility?"**

"He already answered that question."

**Behind him, the gorgons screeched as they flew from the tunnel. Frank let his arrows fly.**

**From the middle of the river, Hazel yelled, "Percy, come on!"**

**Up on the watchtowers, horns blew. The sentries shouted and swiveled their crossbows toward the gorgons.**

**Annabeth, Percy thought. he forged into the river.**

Athena scowled.

Aphrodite sighed.

Annabeth couldn't help but blush. Even though he wasn't talking about _her _exactly the way he thought of her name was enough to make butterflies fly in the stomach.

This isn't Luke, she reminded herself. Luke is probably thinking of her the same way that Hero Perseus was thinking of Original Annabeth.

But she remembered when she was here last time. While reading the last book she'd had dreams and even got to see Hero Percy in person. And both times he struck her as being outrageously handsome. Probably because she was so used to seeing Traitor Percy, with his scarred face and disturbing attitude, that seeing another version of him that looked a little godly was enough to make her heart beat faster.

**It was icy cold, much swifter than he'd imagined, but that didn't bother him. New strength surged through his limbs. His senses tingled like he'd been injected with caffeine. He reached the other side and put the old woman down as the camp's gates opened. Dozens of kids in armor poured out.**

**Hazel turned with a relieved smile. Then she looked over Percy's shoulder, and her expression changed to horror. "Frank!"**

**Frank was halfway across the river when the gorgons caught him. They swooped out of the sky and grabbed him by either arm. He screamed in pain as their claws dug into his skin.**

"Is he going to die?"

**The sentries yelled, but Percy knew they couldn't get a clear shot. They'd end up killing Frank. The other kids drew swords and got ready to charge into the water, but they'd be too late.**

**There was only one way.**

"Kill 'em brother!"

**Percy trust out his hands. An intense tugging sensation filled his gut, and the Tiber obeyed his will. The river surged. Whirlpools formed on either side of Frank. Giant watery hands erupted from the stream, copying Percy's movements. The giant hands grabbed the gorgons, who dropped Frank in surprise. Then the hands lifted the squawking monsters in a liquid vise grip.**

Everyone that's never seen Percy's work was a little awestruck.

"Is he seriously?"

"That's _so _cool!"

"Our Percy can't do anything _that _powerful!"_  
_

"Shut up!"

"He's so cool!"

"He's not that cool."

Annabeth and Percy were the only ones not really impressed. They scowled at the other's who were smiling and thinking of all the cool things that Hero Percy could do with water.

**Percy heard the other kids yelping and backing away, but he stayed focused on his task. He made a smashing gesture with his fists, and the giant hands plunged the gorgons into the Tiber. The monsters hit bottom and broke into dust. Glittering clods of gorgon essence struggled to re-form, but the river pulled then apart like a blender. Soon every trace of the gorgons swept downstream. The whirlpools vanished, and the current returned to normal.**

"Saved the day again," Nico grumbled, "always being the hero."

"Don't talk to yourself," Luke grumbled, "it's creepy."

**Percy stood on the riverbank. His clothes and his skin steamed as if the Tiber's waters had given him an acid bath. He felt exposed, raw... vulnerable.**

**In the middle of the Tiber, Frank stumbled around, looking stunned but perfectly fine. Hazel waded out and helped him ashore. Only then did Percy realize how quiet the other kids had become.**

**Everyone was staring at him. Only the old lady June looked unfazed.**

**"Well, that was a lovely trip," she said. "Thank you, Percy Jackson, for bringing me to Camp Jupiter."**

**One of the girls made a choking sound. "Percy... Jackson?"**

"Why does every girl know who he is?" Grover asked. "It's weird."

**She sounded as if she recognized his name. Percy focused on her, hoping to see a familiar face.**

**She was obviously a leader. She wore a regal purple cloak over her armor. Her chest was decorated with medals.**

"Don't focus on her chest, Perseus."

**She must have been about Percy's age, with dark, piercing eyes and long black hair. **

Jason gulped, "Reyna."

**Percy didn't recognized her, but the girl stared at him as if she'd seen him in her nightmares.**

**June laughed with delight. "Oh, yes. You'll have such fun together!"**

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That sounds sexual."

**Then, just because the day hadn't been weird enough already, the old lady began to glow and change form. She grew until she was a shining, seven-foot-tall goddess in a blue dress, with a cloak that looked like goat's skin over her shoulders. Her face was stern and stately. In her hand was a staff topped with a lotus flower.**

"Hera, what are you doing there?" Poseidon asked the goddess.

Hera smiled, "I was just annoying your son."

"I could see that," Poseidon rolled his eyes, "but why?"

"He's my pawn, just as much as Jason was. So I must show him some sort of a way." Hera replied.

**It if was possible for the campers to looked more stunned, they did. The girl with the purple cloak knelt. The others followed her lead. One kid got down so hastily he almost impaled himself with his sword.**

"That woud've been good," Ares muttered.

**Hazel was the first to speak. "Juno."**

**She and Frank also fell to their knees, leaving Percy the only one standing. He knew he should probably kneel too, but after carrying the old lady so far, he didn't feel like showing her that much respect.**

Sally sighed, "is he always like this?"

"Yeah, most of the time." Poseidon smirked. "He's lucky that his attitude hasn't gotten him killed."

**"Juno, huh?" he said. "If I passed your test, can I have my memory and my life back?"**

**The goddess smiled. "In time, Percy Jackson, if you succeed here at camp. You've done well today, which is a good start. Perhaps there's hope for you yet."**

**She turned to the other ids. "Romans, I present to you the son of Neptune."**

"Poseidon."

**"For months he had been slumbering, but now his is awake. His fate is in your hands. The Feast of Fortune come quickly, and Death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me!"**

"No offense Hera," Leo said, "but that was super confusing, and didn't really tell us anything."

"You'll figure it out."

**Juno shimmered and disappeared. Percy looked at Hazel and Frank for some kind of explanation, but they seemed just as confused as he was. Frank was holding something Percy hadn't noticed before - two small clay flasks with cork stoppers, like potions, one in each hand. Percy had no idea where they'd come from, but he saw Frank slip them into his pockets. Frank gave him a look like: _We'll talk about it later._**

**The girl in the purple cloak stepped forward. She examined Percy warily, and Percy couldn't shake the feeling that she wanted to run him through with her dagger.**

**"So," she said coldly, " a son of Neptune, who come to us with the blessing of Juno."**

**"Look," he said, "my memory's a little fuzzy. Um, it's _gone, _actually. Do I know you?"**

**The girl hesitated. "I am Reyna praetor of the twelfth Legion. And... no, I don't know you."**

"She sounded like she knew him," Piper said, "she's lying."

**That part was a lie. Percy could tell from her eyes .But he also understood that if he argued which her about it here, in front of her soldiers, she wouldn't appreciate it.**

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to do that," Jason confirmed.

**"Hazel," said Reyna, "bring him inside. I want to question him at the _principia. _Then we'll send him to Octavian. We must consult the auguries before we decide what to do with him.**

**"What do you mean?" Percy asked, "'decide what to do with' me?"**

"She's going to kill him," Jason grumbled, "she knows who he is, even is she won't say it. She knows he's Greek, he's a dead man."

"Way to be positive," Piper looked at Jason, she was worried for him. His mood seems to decline every time Reyna's name was read.

**Reyna's hand tightened on her dagger. Obviously she was not used to having her orders questioned. "Before we accept anyone into camp, we must interrogate them and read the auguries. Juno said you fate is in our hands. We have to know whether the goddess had brought us a new recruit..."**

**Reyna studied Percy as if she was doubtful.**

**"Or," she said more hopefully, "if she's brought us an enemy to kill."**

"Okay," Leo said, "he might be dead."

"That a great way to end a chapter," Sally scowled. "Who's reading next?"

"I will," Jason spoke up, "I need to know what's happened to my camp."

"Alright."

**END OF PERCY 2**


	4. Percy 3

**I am totally up to date on these stories on my wattpad account. It took me a while because the last book had like 50 + chapters so it was annoyingly time consuming, even with copy and paste.**

**I have two accounts on wattpad. The first one, and the one that I will post my original books (the ones that totally came from my crazy mind) is Saffy1506. The same username as on fanfiction. My other account on wattpad is PercyJ1506, there will be all my Percy Jackson stuff. Some of it I wrote a long time ago, and they can get pretty bad. But my personal (not fan fiction) books aren't the best. I'm serious here.**

**No joke.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**PERCY 3**

**Percy wasn't scared of ghosts, which was lucky. Half the people in camp were dead.**

Jason smirked.

**Shimmering purple warriors stood outside the armory, polishing ethereal swords. Other hung out in front of the barracks. A ghostly boy chased a ghostly dog down the street. And at the stables, a big glowing red dude with the head of a wolf guarded a herd of... Were those unicorns?**

"You guys have unicorns!" Travis, Conner, and Leo grinned like madmen.

"You have to take me there!" Leo grabbed Jason's arm and Jason almost dropped the book.

"I want to ride one!" Conner looked at Jason with big pleading eyes.

"You're not even from my world," Jason told Conner and Travis.

They pouted, but then they remembered that there was a Jason in their reality too.

They looked to Annabeth. "You think our Jason would take us?"

Annabeth smiled, "I don't know, you'd have to ask him when we get back."

"Awesome!"

Leo squeezed Jason's arm. "You _are_ going to take me though, right?"

Jason smiled, "yeah, dude. Whatever you want."

"Cool!"

**None of the campers paid the ghosts much attention, but as Percy's entourage walked by, with Reyna in the lead and Frank and Hazel on either side, all the spirits stopped what they were doing and stared at Percy. A few looked angry. The little boy ghost shrieked something like "Greggus!" and turned invisible.**

"What the heck does that mean?"

**Percy wished he could turn invisible too. After weeks on his own, all the attention made him uneasy. He stayed between Hazel and Frank and tried to look inconspicuous.**

**"Am I seeing things?" he asked. "Or are those -"**

**"Ghosts?" Hazel turned. She had startling eyes, like fourteen-karat gold. "They're Lares. House gods."**

**"House gods," Percy said. "Like... smaller than real gods, but larger than apartment gods?"**

Poseidon sighed and shook his head.

"You son is... entertaining," Hades said.

"What do you mean entertaining?" Apollo asked the god of death. "He's _hilarious!_"

Artemis smirked, "you should offer him a job at one of your clubs, he can be a stand up comedian."

Apollo frowned, "I already have a guy for that."

"That's what I thought."

**"They're ancestral spirits," Frank explained. He'd removed his helmet, revealing a babyish face that didn't go with his military haircut or his big burly frame. He looked like a toddler who'd taken steroids and joined the Marines.**

**"The Lares are kind of like mascots," he continued. "Mostly they're harmless, but I've never seen them so agitated."**

"Percy's Greek," Jason said, "they can tell."

"They think he's an enemy?" Sally asked him.

Jason nodded, "they're old enough to remember the wars. They don't like him."

**"They're staring at me," Percy said. "That ghost kid called me Greggus. My name isn't Greg."**

"Oh my gods."

**"****_Graecus,_****" Hazel said. **

"What does that mean, Jason?" Thalia asked her brother.

Jason smiled, "Greek. _Graecus_ means Greek."

"This might be bad," Annabeth muttered.

**"Once you've been here awhile, you'll start understanding Latin. Demigods have a natural sense for it. ****_Graecus _****means Greek."**

"So the Romans know that Greeks are enemies?" Annabeth asked Jason.

Jason sighed, "Greek has been an insult in our camp for years. It's like the worst insult you could say to someone."

"That's nice," Will grumbled.

"So, yeah," Jason continued, ignoring Will. "Roman's have been raised to hate Greeks. That's pretty much the first thing they teach us."

"Percy's dead," Beckendorf said.

"Do you think, Annabeth," Rachel said, "if they know that Perseus is a Greek. Do you think they'll know that Luke is one?"

"I hope not," Annabeth said, "Luke isn't as strong, since he's the son of Hermes, so it might take them a little longer to figure it out."

"You just called Luke weak," Percy smirked at her.

Annabeth scowled, "I know what I said."

**"Is that bad?" Percy asked.**

**Frank cleared his throat. "Maybe not. You've got that type of complexion, the dark hair and all."**

Everyone looked at the Big Three, who all had dark hair.

"I don't know what she means," Zeus grumbled.

"Me neither," Poseidon added, "she doesn't know what she's talking about."

Hades rolled his eyes, but went along with it. "She's never seen an actual Greek."

Athena scowled. "You three are so stupid. I can't believe your our leaders."

**"Maybe they think you're actually Greek. Is your family from here?"**

**"Don't know. Like I said, my memory is gone."**

**"Or maybe..." Frank hesitated.**

**"What?" Percy asked.**

**"Probably nothing," Frank said. "Romans and Greeks have an old rivalry. Sometimes Romans use ****_graecus _****as an insult for something who's an outsider - an enemy. I wouldn't worry about it."**

"Everyone at camp hates you and wants to kill you," Leo imitated Frank, "but don't worry about it! They're just jealous of your beautiful dark hair."

Piper glared at him, "your stupid."

"Thank you."

**He sounded pretty worried.**

**They stopped at the center of camp, where two wide stonepaved roads met at a T.**

**A street sign labeled the road to the main gates as ****_VIA PRAETORIA. _****The other road, cutting across the middle of camp, was labeled ****_VIA PRINCIPALIS. _****Under those markers were hand-painted signs like ****_BERKELEY 5 MILES; NEW ROME 1 MILE; OLD ROME 7280 MILES; HADES 2310 MILES (pointing straight down); RENO 208 MILES, AND CERTAIN DEATH: YOU ARE HERE!_**

"Does it seriously say that?"

**For certain death, the place looked pretty clean and orderly. The buildings were freshly whitewashed, laid out in neat grids like camp had been designed by a fussy math teacher. The barracks had shady porches, where campers lounged in hammocks or played cards and drank sodas. Each dorm had a different collection of banners out front displaying Roman numerals and various animals - eagle, bear, wolf, horse, and something that looked like a hamster.**

"Okay...?"

**Along the Via Praestoria, rows of shops advertised food, armor, weapons, coffee, gladiator equipment, and toga rentals. A chariot dealership had a big advertisement out front: _CAESAR XLS W/ANTILOCK BRAKES, NO DENARII DOWN!_**

"That was a little confusing..."

**At one corner of the crossroads stood the most impressive building - a two-story wedge of white marble with a columned portico like an old-fashioned bank. Roman guards stood out front. Over the doorway hung a big purple banner with the golden letters _SPQR _embroidered inside a laurel wreath.**

**"Your headquarters?" Percy asked.**

**Reyna faced him, her eyes still cold and hostile. "It's called the _principia._"**

"Jeez, sorry."

**She scanned the mob of curious campers who had followed them from the river. "Everyone back to your duties. I'll give you an update at the evening muster. Remember, we have war games after dinner."**

**The thought of dinner made Percy's stomach rumble. The scent of barbecue from the dining hall made his mouth water. The bakery down the street smelled pretty wonderful too, but he doubted Reyna would let him get an order to go.**

"Food!"

**The crowd dispersed reluctantly. Some muttered comments about Percy's chances.**

**"He's dead," said one.**

**"Would be _those _two how found him," said another.**

** "Yeah," muttered another. "Let him join the Fifth Cohort. Greek and geeks."**

Jason frowned.

**Several kids laughed at that, but Reyna scowled at them, and they cleared off.**

**"Hazel," Reyna said. "Come with us. I want your report on what happened at the gates."**

**"Me too?" Frank said. "Percy saved my life. We've got to let him -"**

**Reyna gave Frank such a harsh look, he stepped back.**

**"I'd remind you Frank Zhang," she said, "you are on _probatio _yourself. You've caused enough trouble this week."**

"She's a little harsh," Silena whispered.

**Frank's ears turned red. He fiddled with a little tablet on a cord around his neck. Percy hadn't paid much attention to it, but it looked like a name tag made out of lead.**

**"Go to the armory," Reyna told him. "Check our inventory. I'll call you if I need you."**

**"But -" Frank caught himself. "Yes, Reyna."**

"That's a little sad," Rachel said.

"It's pitiful," Luke grumbled.

**He hurried off.**

**Reyna waved Hazel and Percy toward the headquarters. "Now, Percy Jackson, let's see if we can improve your memory."**

"She makes that sound dangerous," Paul said.

**The _principia _was even more impressive inside.**

**On the ceiling glittered a mosaic of Romulus and Remus under their adopted mama she-wolf (Lupe had told Percy that story a million times). The floor was polished marble. The walls were draped in velvet, so Percy felt like he was inside the world's most expensive camping tent. Along the back wall stood a display of banners and wooden poles studded with bronze medals - military symbols, Percy guessed. In the center was one empty display stand, as if the main banner had been taken down for cleaning or something.**

**In the back corner, a stairwell led down. It was blocked by a row of iron bars like a prison door. Percy wondered what was down there - monsters? Treasure? Amnesic demigods who had gotten on Reyna's bad side?**

Jason smirked, "this guy is nervous."

"He thinks of weird stuff when he's freaking out," Thalia told him. "He's especially bad around girls."

**In the center of the room, a long wooden table was cluttered with scrolls, notebooks, tablet computers, daggers, and a large bowl filled with jelly beans, which seems kind of out of place. Two life-sized statues of greyhounds - one silver, one gold - flanked the table.**

"Yeah, those aren't statues..."

**Reyna walked behind the table and sat in one of two high-backed chairs. Percy wished he could sit in the other, but Hazel remained standing. Percy got the feeling he was supposed to also.**

"That's my chair," Jason almost whispered it, he clenched the book tightly.

**"So..." he started to say.**

**The god statues bared their teeth and growled.**

**Percy froze. Normally he liked dogs, but these glared at him with ruby eyes. Their fangs looked sharp as razors.**

**"Easy, guys," Reyna told the greyhounds.**

**They stopped growling, but kept eyeing Percy as though they were imagining him in a doggie bag.**

"Creepy."

**"They won't attack," Reyna said, "unless you try to steal something, or unless I tell them to. That's Argentum and Aurum."**

**"Silver and Gold," Percy said. The Latin meanings popped into his head like Hazel said they would. He almost asked which dog was which. Then he realized that that was a stupid question.**

"Maybe a little bit," Hermes said.

**Reyna set her dagger on the table. Percy had the vague feeling he'd seen her before. Her hair was black and glossy as volcanic rock, woven into a single braid down her back. She had the poise of a sword fighter - relaxed yet vigilant, as if ready to spring into action at any moment. The worry lines around her eyes made her look older than she probably was.**

Jason sighed.

**"We _have _met," he decided. "I don't remember when. Please, if you can tell me anything -"**

**"First things first," Reyna said. "I want to hear your story. What _do _you remember? How did you get here? And don't lie. My dogs don't like liars."**

**Argentum and Aurum snarled to emphasize the point. **

**Percy told his story - how he'd woken up at the ruined mansion in the woods of Sonoma. He described his time with Lupa and her pack, learning their language of gestures and expression, learning to survive and fight.**

"He kinda already knew how to do that."

**Lupa had taught him about demigods, monsters, and gods. She'd explained that she was one of the guardian spirits of Ancient Rome. Demigods like Percy were still responsible for carrying on Roman traditions in modern times - fighting monsters, serving the gods, protecting mortals, and upholding the memory of the empire. She'd spent weeks training him, until he was strong and tough and vicious as a wolf. When she was satisfied with his skills, she'd sent him south, telling him that if he survived the journey, he might find a new home and regain his memory.**

**None of it seemed to surprise Reyna. In fact, she seemed to find it pretty ordinary - except for one thing.**

**"No memory at all?" she asked. "You _still _remember nothing?"**

"Oh, he remembers some things," Aphrodite smirked at Athena's discomfort.

"Will you be quiet Aphrodite?" Athena grumbled.

"Whatever momma bear."

**"Fuzzy bits and pieces." Percy glanced at the greyhounds. He didn't want to mention Annabeth. It seemed too private, and he was still confused about where to find her. He was sure they'd met at a camp - but this one didn't feel like the right place.**

**Also, he was reluctant to share his one clear memory: Annabeth's face, her blond hair and gray eyes, the way she laughed, threw her arms around him, and gave him a kiss whenever he did something stupid.**

"Awwww!"

"Will you stop it!"

**She must have kissed me a lot, Percy thought.**

Poseidon and Sally seemed to have no problem with what their son was thinking. They almost seemed to expect it. But Athena scowled, she didn't want Percy Jackson to think of her daughter that way. Annabeth will still a teenager, she didn't need a boyfriend. Especially if that boy was the son of Poseidon.

**He feared that if he spoke about that memory to anyone, it would evaporate like a dream. He couldn't risk it.**

**Reyna spun her dagger. "Most of what you're describing is normal for demigods. At a certain age, one way or another we find our way to the Wolf House. We're tested and trained. If Lupa thinks we're worthy, she sends us south to join the legion. But I've never heard of someone losing his memory. How did you find Camp Jupiter?"**

**Percy told her the last three days - the gorgons who wouldn't die, the old lady who turned out to be a goddess, and finally meeting Hazel and Frank at the tunnel in the hill.**

"Sounds completely normal."

**Hazel took the story from there. She described Percy as brave and heroic, which made him uncomfortable. All he'd done was carry a hippie bag lady.**

"I actually agree with him," Ares grumbled, "for once."

**Reyna studied him. "You're old for a recruit. You're what, sixteen?"**

**"I think so," Percy said.**

**"If you spent that many years on your own, without training or help, you should be dead. A son of Neptune? You'd have a powerful aura that would attract all kinds of monsters."**

**"Yeah," Percy said. "I've been told that I smell."**

That made everyone smile.

**Reyna almost cracked a smile, which gave Percy hope. Maybe she was human after all.**

**"You must've been somewhere before the Wolf House," she said.**

**Percy shrugged. Juno had said something about him slumbering, and he _did_ have a vague feeling that he'd been asleep - maybe for a long time. But that didn't make sense.**

**Reyna sighed. "Well, the dogs haven't eaten you, so I supposed you're telling the truth."**

**"Great," Percy said. "Next time, can I take a polygraph?"**

"I really want to meet this guy," Leo said.

**Reyna stood. She paced in front of the banners. Her metal dogs watched her go back and forth.**

**"Even if I accept that you're not an enemy," she said, "you're not a typical recruit. The Queen of Olympus simply doesn't appear at camp, announcing a new demigod. The last time a major god visited is us in person like that..." She shook her head. "I've only heard legends of such things. And a don of Neptune... that's not a good omen. Especially now."**

**"What's wrong with Neptune?" Percy asked. "And what do you mean, 'especially now'?"**

**Hazel shot him a warning look.**

**Reyna kept pacing. "You've fought Medusa's sisters, who haven't been seen in thousands of years. You've agitated our Lares, who are calling you _graecus. _And you wear strange symbols - that shirt, the beads on your necklace. What do they mean?"**

"He still has a camp shirt?" Annabeth wondered. "Shouldn't he have changed in shirt in the past months?"

**Percy looked down at his tattered orange T-shirt. It might have had words on it at one point, but they were too faded to read. He should have throw the shirt away weeks ago. It was worn to shreds, but he couldn't bear to get rid of it. He just kept washing it in streams and water fountains as best he could and putting it back on.**

"Seriously?"

**As for the necklace, the four clay beads were each decorated with a different symbol. One showed a trident. ANother displayed a miniature Golden Fleece. The third was etched with the design of a maze, and the last had an image of a building - maybe the Empire State Building? - with names Percy didn't recognize engraved around it. The beads felt important, like pictures from a family album, but he couldn't remember what they meant.**

"That's depressing," Thalia sighed.

"Tell me about it," Grover grumbled, "he's my best friend, and he forgot everything about me."

"Our names don't even help him remember," Silena whispered, she knew her name was on that last bead. Among the dead.

**"I don't know," he said.**

**"And you sword?" Reyna asked.**

**Percy checked his pocket. The pen had reappeared as if always did. He pulled it out, but then realized he'd never shown Reyna the sword. Hazel and Frank hadn't seen it either. How had Reyna know about it?**

"She's creeping me out," Conner grumbled.

"Me too," Travis agreed.

**Too late to pretend it didn't exist... He uncapped the pen. Riptide sprang to full form. Hazel gasped. The greyhounds barked apprehensively.**

**"What is that?" Hazel asked. "I've never seen a sword like that."**

**"I have," Reyna said darkly. "It's very old - a Greek design. We used to have a few in the armory before..." She stopped herself. "The metal is called Celestial bronze. It's deadly to monsters, like Imperial gold, but even rarer."**

**"Imperial gold?" Percy asked.**

**Reyna unsheathed her dagger. Sure enough, the blade was gold. "The metal was consecrated in ancient times, at the Pantheon in Rome. It's existence was a closely guarded secret of the emperors - a way for their champions to slay monsters that threatened the empire. We used to have more weapons like this, but now... well, we scrape by. I use this dagger. Hazel has a _spatha, _a cavalry sword. Most legionnaires use a shorter sword called a _gladius. _But that weapon of yours is not Roman at all. It's another sign you're not a typical demigod. And your arm..."  
**

**"What about it?" Percy asked.**

"Did he hurt it or something?"

**Reyna held up her forearm. Percy hadn't noticed before, but she had a tattoo on the inside: the letters _SPQR, _a crossed sword and torch, and under that, four parallel lines like score marks.**

**Percy glanced at Hazel.**

**"We all have them," she confirmed, holding up her arm. "All full members of the legion do."**

"That's where your tattoos are from," Leo said to Jason.

"Yeah," Jason didn't look at Leo.

**Hazel's tattoo also had the letters _SPQR _but she only had one score mark, and her emblem was different: a black glyph like a cross with curved arms and a head.**

"What's that mean?" Annabeth asked Jason.

"It's the emblem for Pluto," Jason answered, "the Roman version of Hades."

"Hazel's the daughter of Hades?" Piper asked. "That means there's more than just four children of the Big Three."

**Percy looked at his own arms. A few scrapes, some mud, and a fleck of Crispy Cheese 'n' Wiener, but not tattoos.**

"He better not have tattoos," Sally muttered.

**"So you've never been a member of the legion," Reyna said. "These marks can't be removed. I thought perhaps..." She shook her head, as if dismissing an idea.**

**Hazel leaned forward. "If he's survived as a longer all this time, maybe he's seen Jason." She turned to Percy. "Have you ever met a demigod like us before? A guy in a purple shirt with marks on his arm -"**

Leo smirked, "I don't know... have you Piper?"

Piper rolled her eyes, but went along. "No! I've never seen anyone like that!"

"But I have seen a blond superman..." Leo said. "Somewhere."

"Will you two quit it?" Jason grumbled, but he was smiling.

"Who are you!"

"Seriously?"

**"Hazel." Reyna's voice tightened. "Percy's got enough to worry about."**

**Percy touched the point of his sword, and Riptide shrank back into a pen. "I haven't seen anyone like you guys before. Who's Jason?"**

**Reyna gave Hazel an irritated look. "He is... he _was_ my colleague." **

Jason winced like what she had said was an insult.

**She waved her hand at the second empty chair. "The legion normally has two elected praetors. Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, was our other praetor until he disappeared last October."**

"You were like the leader of their camp then, huh." Thalia asked her brother.

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I _was_, apparently."

**Percy tried to calculate. He hadn't paid too much attention to the calendar out in the wilderness, but Juno had mentioned that it was now June. "You mean he's been gone eight months, and you haven't replaced him?"**

"Way to get to the point dude."

**"He might not be dead," Hazel said. "We haven't given up."**

"I'm not dead!"

**Reyna grimaced. Percy got the feeling this guy Jason might've been more to her than just a colleague.**

Piper flinched, and Jason paused in his reading. This was actually what she feared would happen. That Jason had another girl back at his camp, someone better than her. And obviously, in her mind, Reyna was _way _more amazing than she was.

**"Elections only happen in two ways," Reyna said. "Either the legion raises someone on a shield after a major success on the battlefield - and we haven't had any major battles - or we hold a ballot on the evening of June 24, at the Feast of Fortuna. That's in five days.**

**Percy frowned. "You have a feast for _tuna?_"**

Poseidon shook his head.

"You have a bright son there," Ares grinned.

"He's smarter than any of your kids," Artemis scowled at Ares.

"When do you defend a boy?" Ares snapped back.

"When he's proved himself worthy of my support," Artemis said, "and Perseus has."

"Whatever," Ares growled.

"He can he pretty lost at time though," Sally muttered, "but he normally get's the point."

Traitor Percy rolled his eyes, "you guys know that I am _a _Percy? And it's really strange hearing you talk about the other me, while I am still here. It's like your talking to me."

"Do you want us to talk about you?" Rachel asked him.

Percy smirked, "only if Annabeth is doing to talking."

Annabeth glared at him, "shut up," she snapped. And was surprised when Percy just laughed.

**"_Fortuna," _Hazel corrected.**

"It's an easy mistake."

**"She's the goddess of luck. Whatever happens on her feast day an affect the entire rest of the year. She can grant the camp good luck... or _really _bad luck."**

"Sounds awesome," Dionysus muttered.

"You finally say something."

**Reyna and Hazel both glanced at the empty display stand, as if thinking about what was missing.**

**A chill went down Percy's back. "The Feast of Fortune... The gorgons mentioned that. So did Juno. They said the camp was going to be attacked on that day, something about a big bad goddess named Gaea, and an army, and Death being unleashed. You're telling me that day is this _week?_"**

"That's _really _bad," Jason muttered, "the camp is going to go in a panic if they figure that out."

"Then Reyna better not tell them," Annabeth said.

**Reyna's fingers tightened around the hilt of her dagger. "You will say nothing about that outside this room," she ordered. "I will not have you spreading more panic in the camp."**

"Jeez, a little harsh?"

**"So it's true," Percy said. "Do you know what's going to happen. Can we stop it?"**

**Percy had just met these people. He wasn't sure he even liked Reyna. But he wanted to help. They were demigods, the same as him. They had the same enemies. Besides, Percy remembered what Juno had told him: it wasn't just this camp at risk. His old life, the gods, and entire world might be destroyed. Whatever was coming down, it was huge.**

"Can't he ever just want to stay out of trouble?" Silena wondered. "He doesn't need to be the saviour in every fight."

"But he his," Beckendorf said, "he's the only reason we've won the fights we've won."

"True," Nico said, "but he doesn't need to get into fights that don't concern him. But, even though we think he isn't a part of Camp Jupiter's fight against Gaea, he is the main reason why the fight is happening at all. He's gong to help."

"Perfect," Sally muttered, "more worrying."

"Tell me about it," Poseidon murmured.

**"We've talked enough for now," Reyna said. "Hazel, take him to Temple Hill. Find Octavian. On the way you can answer Percy's questions. Tell him about the legion."**

**"Yes, Reyna."**

**Percy still had so many questions, his brain felt like it would melt. But Reyna made it clear the audience was over. She sheathed her dagger. The metal dogs stood and growled, inching toward Percy.**

**"Good luck with the augury, Percy Jackson," she said. "If Octavian lets you live, perhaps we can compare notes... about your past."**

"She let him go," Jason looked stunned, "she never let's anyone go that easily."

"Really?" Rachel said. "She's seems like a nice person."

"Tell me about it," Piper whispered, but Jason didn't hear.

"The chapter's over," he said, "who's next?"

"I will," Rachel said.

**END OF PERCY 3**

**Also, for those that don't know: my update days are Monday and Friday. I might miss a post day, sorry if that happens things come up. And also I might post more than one chapter on those days. So you might get five chapters on Monday, but I might not post at all on Friday. **

**Yup! Isn't that awesome!**

**:D**


	5. Percy 4

**I forgot there were like four chapters with the same P.O.V in this book. It's different from the TLH, I forgot that. Until now... **

**So... yeah.**

**Just saying.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**PERCY 4**

**On the way out of camp, Hazel bought him an espresso drink and a cherry muffin from Bombilo the two-headed coffee merchant.**

"Coffee!" Travis gripped him stomach. "I need coffee!"

"You don't need coffee," Hermes muttered.

"I need food!"

"We'll have lunch in a couple chapters."

"I want food now..."

**Percy inhaled the muffin.**

"That's attractive." Aphrodite sighed.

**The coffee was great. Now, Percy thought, if he could just get a shower, a change of clothes and some sleep, he's be golden. Maybe even Imperial golden.**

"That was a horrible pun."

**He watched a bunch of kids in swimsuits and towels head into a building that had steam coming out of a row of chimneys. Laughter and watery sounds echoed from inside, like in was an indoor pool - Percy's kind of place.**

**_"Bath_ house," Hazel said. "We'll get you in there before dinner, hopefully. You haven't lived until you've had a Roman bath."**

"Don't they all bath together?"

"Gross."

**Percy sighed with anticipation.**

**As they approached the front gate, the barracks got bigger and nicer. Even the ghosts looked better - with fancier armor and shinier auras. Percy tried to decipher the banners and symbols hanging in front of the buildings.**

**"You guys are divided into different cabins?" he asked.**

**"Sort of." Hazel ducked as a kid riding a giant eagle swooped over head. "We have five cohorts of about forty kids each. Each cohort is divided into barracks of ten - like room mates, kind of."**

**Percy had never been great at math, but he tried to multiply. "You're telling me there's two hundred kids at camp?"**

**"Roughly."**

"They've grown," Jason said, "before there was only one hundred."

**"And ****_all _****of them are children of the gods? The gods have been busy."**

"That's insulting," Apollo crossed his arms across his chest.

**Hazel laughed. "Not all of them are children of _major _gods. There are hundreds of minor Roman gods. Plus, a lot of the campers are legacies - second or third generations. Maybe their parents were demigods. Or their grandparents."**

**Percy blinked. "Children of demigods?"**

**"Why? Does that surprise you?"**

**Percy wasn't sure. The last few weeks he'd been so worried about surviving day to day. The idea of living long enough to be an adult and have kids of his own - that seemed like an impossible dream.**

"He won't make it," Luke grumbled.

**"These Legos -"**

**"Legacies," Hazel corrected.**

**"They have powers like a demigod?"**

**"Sometimes. Sometimes not. But they can be trained. All the best Roman generals and emperors - you know, they all claimed to be descended from gods. Most of the time, they were telling the truth. The camp augur we're going to meet, Octavian, he's a legacy, descendant of Apollo. He's got the gift of prophecy, supposedly."**

**"Supposedly?"**

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rachel asked Jason.

Jason frowned, "Octavian is a total douche."

"Great."

**Hazel made a sour face. "You'll see."**

**That didn't make Percy feel so great, if this dude Octavian had Percy's fate in his hands.**

**"So the divisions," he asked, "the cohorts, whatever - you're divided according to who your godly parent is?"**

**Hazel stared at him. "What a horrible idea!"**

"Hey!"

**"No, the officers decide where to assign recruits. If we were divided according to god, the cohorts would be all uneven. I'd be alone."**

"That part does suck," Percy grumbled.

"I have Percy," Tyson smiled, "so I'm not alone."

"But when you're gone, he's alone," Grover pointed out.

"Oh, yeah..."

**Percy felt a twinge of sadness, like he's been in that situation. "Why? What's you ancestry?"**

**Before she could answer, someone behind them yelled, "Wait!"**

**A ghost ran toward them - an old man with a medicine ball belly and toga so long he kept tripping over it. He caught up to them and gasped for air, his purple aura flickering around him. **

**"This is him? the ghost panted. "A new recruit for the Fifth, perhaps?"**

**"Vitellius," Hazel said, "we're sort of in a hurry."**

"How any annoying people do you have at your camp, Jason?"

**The ghost scowled at Percy and walked around him, inspecting him like a used car. "I don't know," he grumbled. "We need only the best for the cohort. Does he have all his teeth? Can he fight? Does he clean stables?"**

"He isn't there to be your maid," Silena sneered.

**"Yes, yes, and no," Percy said. "Who are you?"**

**"Percy, this is Vitellius." Hazel's expression said: _Just humor him. _"He's one of our Lares; takes an interest in new recruits."**

**On a nearby porch, other ghost snickered as Vitellius paced back and forth, tripping over his toga and hiking up his sword belt.**

**"Yes," Vitellius said, "back in Caesar's day - that's _Julius _Caesar, mind you - the Fifth Cohort was something! Twelfth Legion Fulminata, pride of Rome! But these days? Disgraceful what we've come to. Look at Hazel here, using a _spatha. _Ridiculous weapon for a Roman Legionnaire - that's for cavalry! And you - you smell like a Greek sewer. Haven't you had a bath?"**

"I don't like this ghost," Aphrodite grumbled.

"No one does," Hephaestus agreed.

**"I've been a little busy fighting gorgons," Percy said.**

**"Vitellius," Hazel interrupted, "we've got to get Percy's augury before he can join. Why don't you check on Frank? He's in the armory doing inventory. You _know _how much he values you help."**

**The ghost's furry purple eyebrows shot up. "Mars Almighty! They let the _probatio _check the armor? We'll be ruined!"**

**He stumbled off down the street, stopping ever few feet to pick up his sword or rearrange his toga.**

**"O-h-h-kay," Percy said.**

"I agree."

**"Sorry," Hazel said. "He' eccentric, but he's one of the oldest Lares. Been around since the legion was founded."**

**"He called the legion... _Fulminata?_" Percy said.**

**"Armed with Lightning," Hazel translated. "That's our motto. The Twelfth Legion was around for the entire Roman Empire. When Rome fell, a lot of legions just disappeared. We went underground, acting on secret orders from Jupiter himself: stay alive, recruit demigods and their children, keep Rome going. We've been doing that ever since, moving around to wherever Roman influence was strongest. The last few centuries, we've been in America."**

**As bizzare as that sounded, Percy had no trouble believing it. In fact, it sounded familiar, like something he's always known.**

"That's because you have always known it," Beckendorf said.

"It's annoying having him without memory," Thalia murmured, "we're going to have to explain it to him all over again."

**"And you're in the Fifth Cohort," he guessed, "which maybe isn't the most popular?"**

**Hazel scowled. "Yeah. I joined up last September."**

**"So... just a few weeks before that guy Jason disappeared."**

**Percy knew he's hit a sore spot.**

"Good job! Make her feel bad."

**Hazel looked down. She was silent long enough to count every paving stone.**

**"Come on," she said at last. "I'll show you my favorite view."**

"Oh, they're going on a date!" Conner cooed.

"They just met," Rachel said, "like, they just met, that day."

**They stopped outside the main gates. The fort was situated on the highest point in the valley, so they could see pretty much everything.**

**The road led down to the river and divided. One path led south across the bridge, up to the hill with all the temples. The other road led north into the city, a miniature version of Ancient Rome. Unlike the military camp, the city looked chaotic and colorful, with buildings crowded together at haphazard angels. Even from this far away, Percy could see people gathered in the plaza, shoppers milling around an open-air market, parents with kids playing in the parks.**

"Sounds nice," Piper said. "It's like a little town in the middle of the camp!"

**"You've got families here?" he asked.**

**"In the city, absolutely," Hazel said. "When you're accepted into the legion, you do ten years of service. After that, you can muster out whenever you want. Most demigods go into the mortal world. But for some - well, it's pretty dangerous out there. This valley is a sanctuary. You can go to college in the city, get married, have kids, retire when you get old. It's the only safe place on earth for people like us."**

"So is Camp Half-Blood."

**"So yeah, a lot of veterans make their homes there, under protection of the legion."**

**Adult demigods. Demigods who could live without fear, get married, raise a family. Percy couldn't quiet wrap his mind around that. It seemed too good to be true. "But if this valley is attacked?"**

**Hazel pursed her lips. "We have defenses. The borders are magical. But our strength isn't what it used to be. Lately, the monster attacks have been increasing. What you said about gorgons not dying... we've noticed that too, with other monsters."**

**"Do you know what's causing it?"**

**Hazel looked away. Percy could tell she was holding something back - something she wasn't supposed to say.**

**"It's - it's complicated," she said. "My brother says Death isn't -"**

**She was interrupted by an elephant.**

"What?"

"Why is there an elephant in Berkeley?"

**Someone behind them shouted, "Make way!"**

**Hazel dragged Percy out of the road as a demigod rode past on a full-grown pachyderm covered in black Kevlar armor. The word _ELEPHANT _was printed on the side of his armor, which seemed a little obvious to Percy.**

**The elephant thundered down the road and turned north heading toward a big open field where some fortifications were under construction.**

"Why do you have an elephant?" Piper asked Jason.

Jason smirked, "Hannibal is used for our war games. He won't really hurt anyone, he's a great animal."

**Percy spit dust out of his mouth. "What the -?"**

**"Elephant," Hazel explained.**

**"Yeah, I read the sign. Why do you have an elephant in a bulletproof vest?"**

**"War games tonight," Hazel said. "That's Hannibal. It we didn't include him, he's get upset."**

**"We can't have that."**

"No, it get's messy when he's angry," Jason explained, "last time we had to rebuild two barracks."

"That's scary," Silena muttered, "an elephant that can destroy your barracks, just if you don't include him in one of your games?"

"That's why we always include him."

**Hazel laughed. It was hard to believe she's looked so moody a moment ago. Percy wondered what she's been about to say. She had a brother. Yet she had claimed she'd be alone if the camp sorted her by her godly parent.**

"That is weird," Annabeth noted.

Nico sighed.

**Percy couldn't figure her out. She seemed nice and easygoing, mature for somebody who couldn't have been more than thirteen. But she also seemed to be hiding a deep sadness, like she felt guilty about something.**

**Hazel pointed south across the river. Dark clouds were gathering over Temple Hill. Red flashes of lightning washed over the monuments in blood-colored light.**

**"Octavian is busy," hazel said. "We'd better get over there."**

"What could he be doing?" Sally wondered.

**On the way, they passed some goat-legged guys hanging out on the side of the road.**

"Really? 'Goat-legged guys?'" Grover grumbled. "Seriously Perce!"

**"Hazel!" one of them cried.**

**He trotted over with a big grin on his face. He wore a faded Hawaiian shirt and nothing for pants except thick brown goat fur. His massive Afro jiggled. His eyes were hidden behind little round rainbow-tuned glasses. He held a cardboard sign that read: _WILL GO AWAY FOR DENARII._**

"That's pathetic," Grover grumbled.

**"Hi, Don," Hazel said. "Sorry, we don't have time -"**

**"Oh, that's cool! That's cool!" Don trotted along with them. "Hey, this guy's new!" he grinned at Percy. "Do you have three denarii for the bus? Because I left my wallet at home, and I've got to get to work, and -"**

**"Don," Hazel chided. "Fauns don't have wallets. Or jobs. Or homes. And we don't have buses."**

"Oh, that was bad..." Percy smiled.

"He walked right into that one," Clarisse grumbled.

**"Right," he said cheerfully, "but do you have denarii?"**

**"You name is Don the Faun?" Percy asked.**

**"Yeah, so?"**

"Stupid name," Grover grumbled.

"Is someone getting jealous?" Thalia taunted the satyr.

Grover scowled deeper, "no! It's just that the Roman version of Satyrs are pathetic and a waste of time. They make us seem like stupid airhead that are useless and will do anything for money."

"Denarii." someone corrected.

"Whatever!"

**"Nothing." Percy tried to keep a straight face. "Why don't fauns have jobs? Shouldn't they work for the camp?"**

**Don bleated. "Fauns! Work for the camp! Hilarious!"**

**"Fauns are, um, free spirits," Hazel explained. "They hand out here because, well, it's a safe place to hand out and beg. We tolerate them, but -"**

**"Oh, Hazel is awesome," Don said. "She's so nice! All the other campers are like, 'Go away, Don.' But she's like, 'Please, so away, Don.' I love her!"**

"I don't seem much of a difference." Will said.

**The faun seemed harmless, but Percy still found his unsettling. He couldn't shake the feeling that fauns should be more than just homeless guys begging for denarii.**

"Thank you Percy!" Grover said, "you're still my best friend... even when you don't remember me, at all."

**Don looked at the ground in front of them and gasped. "Score!"**

**He reached for something, but Hazel screamed, "Don, no!"**

**She pushed him out of the way and snatched up a small shiny object. Percy caught a glimpse of it before Hazel slipped it into her pocket. He could have sworn it was a diamond.**

**"Come on, Hazel!" Don complained. "I could've bought a year's worth of doughnuts with that!"**

"Doughnuts..." Tyson said dreamily.

**"Don, please," Hazel said. "Go away."**

**She sounded shaken, like she'd just saved Don from a charging bulletproof elephant.**

**The faun sighed. "Aw, I can't stay mad at you. But I swear, it's like you good luck. Every time you walk by -"**

**"Good-bye, Don," Hazel said quickly. "Let's go, Percy."**

**She started jogging. Percy had to sprint to catch up.**

**"What was that about?" Percy asked. "That diamond in the road -"**

**"Please," she said. "Don't ask."**

"It's a touchy subject," Nico muttered.

"You know what it's about?" Will asked him.

Nico frowned, "you'll find out later in the book."

"You never tell us anything!"

**They walked in uneasy silence the rest of the way to Temple Hill. A crooked stone path led past a crazy assortment of tiny altars and massive domed vaults. Statues of gods seemed to follow Percy with their eyes.**

"Ha!" Apollo smirked. "We're watching you Percy!" he said it slowly, like the ghosts in movies.

**Hazel pointed out the Temple of Bellona. "Goddess of war," she said. "That's Reyna's mom." Then they passed a massive red crypt decorated with human skulls on iron spikes.**

"That's mine," Ares boasted.

"I don't think that's something to be proud of," Demeter rolled her eyes.

**"Please tell me we're not going in there," Percy said.**

**Hazel shook her head. "That's the Temple of Mars Ultor."**

**"Mars... Ares, the war god?"**

"He remembers me," Ares grinned, "I better be in his nightmares."

"Will you shut up," Artemis snapped, "you're comments are annoying."

"You're face is annoying." Ares growled.

"That was a horrible come back."

"Shut up!"

**"That's his Greek name," Hazel said. "But, yeah, same guy. Ultor means 'the Avenger.' He's the second-most important god of Rome."**

"Woot!" Clarisse cheered. "Go Dad!"

**Percy wasn't thrilled to hear that. For some reason, just looking at the ugly red building made him feel angry.**

**He pointed toward the summit. Clouds swirled over the largest temple, a round pavilion with a ring of white columns supporting a domed roof. "I'm guessing that Zeus - uh, I mean, Jupiter's? That's where we're heading?"**

"He's doing what you did Jason," Leo noticed, "calling all the gods by the wrong names."

**"Yeah," Hazel sounded edgy. "Octavian reads auguries there - the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus."**

**Percy had to think about it, but the Latin words clicked into English. "Jupiter... the best and the greatest?"**

"Is he surprised?" Zeus demanded to know.

Poseidon shrugged, "probably."

**"Right."**

**"What's Neptune's title?" Percy asked. "The coolest and most awesome?"**

Poseidon smiled.

"Yeah, right!" Apollo said. "The Romans hate the water, no one likes Neptune."

Poseidon's smile faded.

Artemis smacked her brother, "shut up! Don't be a jerk. You're turning into Ares."

"What?"

**"Um, not quite." Hazel gestured to a small blue building the size of a toolshed. A cobweb-covered trident was nailed about the door.**

**Percy peeked inside. On a small altar sat a bowl with three dried-up, molding apples.**

"That's sad," Annabeth muttered. "Sorry, lord Poseidon."

**His heart sank. "Popular place."**

**"I'm sorry, Percy," Hazel said. "It's just that... Romans were always scared of the sea."**

"That's stupid," Percy grumbled.

**"They only used ships if they _had _to. Even in modern times, having a child of Neptune around has always been a bad omen. The last time one joined the legion... well, it was 1906, when Camp Jupiter was located across the bay in San Francisco. There was a huge earthquake -"**

**"You're telling me a child of Neptune caused that?"**

**"So they say." Hazel looked apologetic. "Anyway... Romans fear Neptune, but they don't love him much."**

"This is why I prefer to be Greek," Poseidon muttered.

"Makes sense," Hades said, "if your Roman everyone hates you."

"At least I'm not you," Poseidon smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hades growled.

"People hate you no matter what aspect your in." Poseidon said.

Hades glared at his brother.

"Poseidon," Zeus reminded, "we don't need teasing. You're acting like a child."

"He insulted me," Poseidon defended.

"Everyone insults everyone," Zeus grumbled, "so get over it."

**Percy stared at the cobwebs on the trident.**

**Great, he thought. Even if he joined the camp, he would never be loved. His best hope was to be scary to his new camp mates. Maybe if he did really well, they'd give him some moldy apples.**

**Still... standing at Neptune's altar, he felt something stirring inside him, like waves rippling through his veins. **

**He reached in his backpack and dug out the last but of food from his trip - a stale bagel. It wasn't much, but he set it on the altar.**

"That's the only thing Neptune will get in three years," Hades grumbled.

"Will you give it up?"

**"Hey... uh, Dad."**

Sally gripped Paul's hand.

Poseidon's eyes drifted from glaring at Hades to softening and staring at the floor.

**He felt pretty stupid talking to a bowl of fruit. "If you can hear me, help me out, okay? Give me my memory back. Tell me - tell me what to do."**

Poseidon sighed. Then glared at Hera.

"You're cruel, you know." He sneered.

Hera didn't say anything at first, just looked back at him, her eyes were apologetic. "It was the only way." was all she said.

**His voice cracked. He hadn't meant to get emotional, but he was exhausted and scared, he he'd been lost for so long, he would've given anything for some guidance. He wanted to know something about his life for sure, without grabbed for missing memories.**

"He still remembers more that I do," Jason grumbled. "He remembered _someone_, that's one thing that I couldn't."

**Hazel put her hand on his shoulder. "It'll be okay. You're here now. You're one of us."**

**He felt awkward, depending on an eighth-grade girl he barely knew for comfort, but he was glad she was there.**

**Above them, thunder rumbled. Re lightning lit up the hill.**

**"Octavian is almost done," Hazel said. "Let's go."**

**Compared to Neptune's toolshed, JUpiter's temple was definitely optimus and maximus.**

**The marble floor was etched with fancy mosaics and Latin inscriptions. Sixty feet above, the domed ceiling sparkled gold. The whole temple was open to the wind.**

"Jeez," Will said, "overdo it much?"

**In the center stood a marble altar, where a kid in a toga was doing some sort of ritual in front of a massive golden statue of the big dude himself: Jupiter the sky god, dressed in a silk XXXL purple toga, holding a lightning bolt.**

**"It doesn't look like that," Percy muttered.**

**"What?" Hazel asked.**

**"The master bolt," Percy said.**

**"What are you _talking _about?"**

"He remembered something!" Grover cheered. "He remembered that we returned the lightning bolt, or at least that he even saw it. It's something."

"Something, but he won't remember why he remember it," Jason said.

"That was a little confusing," Leo said.

**"I -" Percy frowned. For a second, he's thought he remembered something. Now it was gone. "Nothing, I guess."**

"Poseidon," Hera said, "watch yourself."

"What do you mean?" Poseiodn asked, trying to sound innocent.

"If you try to restore his memory from here, you're not going to get anywhere," she told him.

"I gave him a little," Poseidon said, "he just needs something to trigger the memories."

"You aren't helping him," Hera said, "if he get's his memory back too soon, he'll die."

Poseidon didn't say anything.

"You can't just expect him to sit here," Athena glared at Hera. "You're torturing him by making him sit here helpless when he's reading everything that Perseus is thinking and feeling."

"He's not going to do anything," Zeus stated. "He's stuck here just as much as any of us. He might have a little connection to his son, but not enough to create any _real _damage."

Hera smirked at Athena. Poseidon didn't say anything, just waved for Rachel to continue reading.

**The kid at the altar raised his hands. More red lightning flashed in the sky, shaking the temple. Then he put his hands down, and the rumbling stopped. The clouds turned from gray to white and broke apart.**

**A pretty impressive trick, considering the kid didn't look like much. He was tall and skinny, with straw-colored hair, oversized jeans, a baggy t-shirt, and a drooping toga. He looked like a scarecrow wearing a bedsheet.**

"He's the same as ever, then," Jason grumbled, "perfect."

**"What's he doing?" Percy murmured.**

**The guy in the toga turned. He had a crooked smile and a slightly crazy look in his eyes, like he's just been playing an intense video game. In one hand he held a knife. In the other hand was something like a dead animal. That didn't make him look any less crazy.**

"I don't really want Percy around this guy," Sally said.

**"Percy," Hazel said, "this is Octavian."**

**"The _graecus!_" Octavian announced. "How interesting."**

**"Uh, hi," Percy said. "Are you killing small animals?"**

**Octavian looked at the fuzzy thing in his hand and laughed. "No, no. Once upon a time, yes. We used to read the will of the gods by examining animal guts - chickens, goats, that sort of thing. Nowadays, we use these."**

**He tossed the fuzzy thing to Percy. It was disemboweled teddy bear. **

"That's sad," Tyson muttered, "poor teddy bear."

"This guy is crazy," Piper said. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's crazy," Jason stated.

**Then Percy noticed that there was a whole pile of mutilated stuffed animals at the foot of Jupiter's statue.**

**"Seriously?" Percy asked.**

**Octavian stepped off the dais. He was probably about eighteen, but so skinny and sickly pale, he could've passed for younger. At first he looked harmless, but as he got closer, Percy wasn't so sure. Octavian's eyes glittered with harsh curiosity, like he might gut Percy just as easily as a teddy bear if he thought he could learn something from it.**

**Octavian narrowed his eyes. "You seem nervous."**

**"You remind me of someone," Percy said. "I can't remember who."**

Luke grunted something.

Grover sighed.

**"Possibly my namesake, Ocatvian - Augustus Caesar. Everyone says I bear a remarkable resemblance."**

"No they don't," Apollo said flipping through photos on his iPod. "He looks nothing like Caesar."

**Percy didn't think that was it, but he couldn't pin down the memory. "Why did you call me 'the Greek'?"**

"Cuz you're Greek. Just guessin'."

**"I saw it in the auguries." Octavian waved his knife at the pile of stuffing on the altar. "The message said: _The Greek as arrived. _Or possibly: _The goose has cried. _I'm thinking the first interpretation is correct. You seek to join the legion?'**

**Hazel spoke for him. She told Octavian everything that had happened since they met at the tunnel - the gorgons, the fight at the river, the appearance of Juno, their conversation with Reyna.**

**When she mentioned Juno, Octavian looked surprised.**

**"Juno," he mused. "We call her Juno Moneta. Juno the Warner. She appears in times of crisis, to counsel Rome about great threats."**

"Yeah, this would be a time of crisis."

**He glanced at Percy, as if to say: _like mysterious Greeks, for instance._**

**"I hear the Feast of Fortuna is this week," Percy said. "The gorgons warned there'd be an invasion on that day. Did you see that in your stuffing?"**

"Oh, snappy," Conner muttered.

**"Sadly, no." Octavian sighed. "The will of the gods is hard to discern. And these days, my vision is even darker."**

**"Don't you have... I don't know," Percy said, "an oracle or something?"**

"Yeah, why don't they have one of me?" Rachel wondered. "Then they won't have to murder innocent stuffed animals."

**"An oracle!" Octavian smiled. "What a cute idea. No, I'm afraid we're fresh out of oracles. Now, if we'd gone questing the Sibylline books, like I recommended -"**

**"The Siba-what?" Percy asked.**

**"Books of prophecy," Hazel said, "which Octavian is _obsessed _with. Romans used to consult them when disasters happened. Most people believe they burned up when Rome fell."**

"Those would be fun to read," Annabeth muttered, "were they really burned?" she asked her mother.

Athena's nose wrinkled. "I don't know." she scowled. "That's Minerva's information, as she's being annoyingly stubborn today, she won't answer any of my questions."

"You're Roman half doesn't cooperate with you?" Silena asked the goddess.

Athena shook her head, "we are two different people, she is different then me. But we're stuck in sort-of the same body. Same with all the other gods. Our Roman half is in our heads, while they are their own people as much as we are. They don't like to answer to us."

"We don't really like to answer to them, though," Poseidon muttered. "Neptune can get annoying."

"Poseidon can get annoying," Hades grumbled.

"Shut up," Poseidon snapped at his brother.

**"_Some _people believe that," Octavian corrected. "Unfortunately our present leadership won't authorize a quest to look for them -"**

**"Because Reyna isn't stupid," Hazel said.**

**"- so we have only a few remaining scraps from the books," Octavian continued. "A few mysterious predictions, like these."**

**He nodded to the inscription on the marble floor. Percy stared at the lines of words, not really expecting to understand them. He almost choked.**

**"That one." He pointed, translating as he read aloud: _"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall -"_**

"It's written on the floor?" Beckendorf asked.

Jason nodded, "that's why when Rachel told me it at Camp Half-Blood I recognized it."

"Percy knows it too," Grover said, "he was there when Rachel first got the message. It was right after the Titan War."

**"Yes, yes." Octavian finished it without looking: _"An oath to keep with a final breath, and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."_**

"Great," Sally said, "just what we need another prophecy."

"And Percy is probably going to be one of the seven, won't he." Paul said.

"He _is _a very powerful demigod," Demeter muttered, "even for a child of Poseidon he is remarkable. So it only makes sense that the strongest should be a part of the quest to save to world."

**"I - I know that one." Percy thought thunder was shaking the temple again. Then he realized his whole body was trembling. "That's _important._"**

"Really?" Luke snorted, "I never would've guessed."

**Octavian arched an eyebrow. "Of course it's important. We call it Prophecy of Seven, but it's several thousand years old. We don't know what it means. Every time someone tries to interpret it... Well, Hazel can tell you. Bad things happen."**

**Hazel glared at him. "Just read the augury for Percy. Can he join the legion or not?"**

**Percy could almost see Octavian's mind working, calculating whether or not Percy would be useful. He held out his hand for Percy's backpack. "That's a beautiful specimen. May I?"**

"The backpack?"

**Percy didn't understand what he meant, but Octavian snatched the Bargain Mart panda pillow that was sticking out of the top of his pack. It was just a silly stuffed toy, but Percy had carried it a long way. He was kind of fond of it. Octavian turned toward the altar and raised his knife.**

"Not the pillow pet!"

"NO!"

"The horror! The horror!"

**"Hey!" Percy protested.**

**Octavian slashed open the panda's belly and poured its stuffing over the altar. He tossed the panda carcass aside, muttered a few words over the fluff, and turned with a big smile on his face.**

**"Good news!" he said. "Percy may join the legion. We'll assign him a cohort at even muster. Tell Reyna that I approve."**

"Well that's good," Percy said, "he's not dead yet."

"That means Luke's not dead yet." Rachel glanced at Annabeth, she had her hands clenched and her eyes were dim.

**Hazel shoulders relaxed. "Uh... great. Come on, Percy."**

**"Oh, and Hazel," Octavian said. "I'm happy to welcome Percy into the legion. But when the election for praetor comes up, I hope you'll remember -"  
**

**"Jason _isn't _dead," Hazel snapped. "You're the augur. You're supposed to be looking for him!"**

"Thank you Hazel," Jason grumbled. "Jeez, if Octavian wants to be praetor... and he's the only one able. That's -"

"Bad," Piper agreed. "That just mean we'll have to get you back. To keep that creep from getting your spot." Piper tried to sound upbeat about it. She knew that Jason wanted to be praetor, and she agreed that Octavian was not a good person to lead a camp. But, that would mean that Jason would have to go back to Camp Jupiter. Leaving her and Leo at Camp Half-Blood.

"Piper..." Jason must've heard the pain in her voice, as much as she had tried to hide it.

She smiled at him, hoping that she could keep her face straight.

He sighed, and grabbed her hand.

**"Oh, I am!" Octavian pointed at the pile of gutted stuffed animals. "I consult the gods every day! Alas, after eight months, I've found nothing. Of course, I'm still looking. BUt if Jason doesn't return by the Feast of Fortuna, we must act. We can't have a power vacuum any longer. I hope you'll supposed me for praetor. It would mean so much to me."**

**Hazel clenched her fists. "Me. Support. You?"**

**Octavian took off his toga, setting it and his knife on the altar. Percy noticed seven lines on Octavian's arm - seven years of camp, Percy guessed. Octavian's mark was a harp, the symbol of Apollo.**

**"After all," Octavian told Hazel, "I might be able to help you. It would be a shame if those awful rumors about you kept circulations... or, gods forbid, they turn out to be true."**

Nico scowled.

**Percy slipped his hand into his pocket and grabbed his pen. This guy was blackmailing Hazel. That was obvious. One sign from Hazel, and Percy was ready to bust out Riptide and see how Octavian liked being at the other end of the blade.**

**Hazel took a deep breath. Her knuckles were white. "I'll think about it."**

**"Excellent," Octavian said. "By the way, your brother is here."**

**Hazel stiffened. "My brother? Why?"**

**Octavian shrugged. "Why does your brother do _anything? _He's waiting for you at your fathers shrine. "Just... ah, don't invite him to stay too long. He has a disturbing effect on the others. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to keep searching for our poor lost friend, Jason. Nice to meet you, Percy."**

"'Disturbing effects?'" Nico growled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

**Hazel stormed out of the pavilion, and Percy followed. He was sure he'd never been so glad to leave a temple in his life.**

**As Hazel marched down the hill, she cursed in Latin. Percy didn't understand all of it, but he got _son of a gorgon, power hungry snake, _and a few choice suggestions about where Octavian should stick his knife.**

**"I _hate _that guy," she muttered in English. "If I had my way -"**

**"He won't really get elected praetor, will he?" Percy asked. **

**"I wished I could be certain. Octavian has a lot of friends, most of them _bought. _the rest of the campers are afraid of him."**

"That sounds like a dangerous mixture," Silena said.

**"Afraid of that skinny guy?"**

**"Don't underestimate him. Reyna's not so bad by herself, but if Octavian shares her power..." Hazel shuddered. "Let's go see my brother. He'll want to meet you."**

**Percy didn't argue. He wanted to meet this mysterious brother, maybe learn something about Hazel's background - who her dad was, what secret she was hiding. Percy couldn't believe she'd done anything to be guilty about. She seemed too nice. But Octavian had acted like he had some first-class dirt on her.**

**Hazel led Percy to a black crypt built into the side of the hill. Standing in front was a teenage boy in black jeans and an aviator jacket.**

Nico sighed, he was ready for Thalia to pounce on him. She was already looking at him, like just the aviator jacket was just enough of a hint for her to know who it was. He was sure that Annabeth was also on his tail. He didn't really feel like calming down the teenagers, and hear their screaming...

**"Hey," Hazel called. "I've brought a friend."**

**The boy turned. Percy had another one of those weird flashes: like this was somebody he should know. The kid was almost as pale as Octavian, but with dark eyes and messy black hair. He didn't look anything like Hazel. He wore a silver skull ring, a chain for a belt, and a black T-shirt with skull designs. At his side hung a pure-black sword.**

**For a microsecond when he saw Percy, the boy seemed shocked - panicked even, like he's been caught in a searchlight.**

**"This is Percy Jackson," Hazel said. "He's a good guy. Percy, this is my brother, the son of Pluto."**

**The boy regained his composure and held out his hand. "Please to meet you," he said. "I'm Nico di Angelo."**

"NICO!"

**END OF PERCY 4**


	6. Hazel 5

**Okay, so I know a lot of you are mad at me. I'm pretty pissed as well. But not at me. At the fact that I had to work for two weeks in a cherry orchard.**

**So here's the story:**

**My family owns a cherry orchard. Every year, in July. We harvest those cherries. And let me tell you it's a pain in the butt. First they have to take my computer (that's the main reason why I couldn't update), because they have to use it to do all the paper work. Don't ask me why they can't just get their own computer, I've already tried that argument. Still, after they confiscate my laptop, they tell me that I have to get up at four in the morning for two weeks straight to help pick cherries. **

**And let me tell you, that is a pain. I didn't last very long actually picking the cherries (mostly because I was slow and could only do a lug an hour), so they put me on sorting and collecting the finished lugs. So that wasn't any better. So I spent my two weeks getting up early, picking up heavy lugs filled with cherries, and picking out leaves. It was so much fun. (Trust me). (That was sarcasm, in case you couldn't tell).**

**So I just got back from the movies. We watched Tammy. Which wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but it was pretty funny at times... But anyway, I just got my computer back now. Like two minuets ago. So I'm going to write like crazy and try and finish this chapter by tomorrow. **

**But then, my aunt is coming over. And I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure, that she want's me to come back with her to her house in the freaking big city, so I can hang out with her for two weeks. Another two weeks without my computer. I swear, I don't know what I will do... At all. I'm going to die.**

**But if that happens, I'll tell you guys, instead of just ditching you like I did this time. Sorry about that.**

**ON the bright side I made a couple hundred dollars in cash. And I read half of the Maze Runner series. (That is a good book, you should read them). I can't wait for the movie!**

**Thanks for being so patient with me. I hope to keep you reading.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**HAZEL 5**

"Nico!"

Nico flinched. he had been waiting for this.

"What the hell?" Thalia screamed at him. She stood up and marched across the semi-circle of couches, she grabbed Nico's Camp Half-Blood shirt collar.

"Thalia," Jason warned, "chill. I'm sure he has a great explanation for this."

"Yeah, right." Thalia growed. "Why did you not tell him? we could have had him back tonight."

Nico pushed her off of him. "That would've ruined everything. everyone would die, and we'd lose the war."

Thalia scowled at him, but didn't look like she was going to grab him again.

Nico sighed. "I knew Percy had no memories. And I knew that if I told him who he was he couldn't do what was needed of him at Camp Jupiter."

"That makes sense," Annabeth decided. "It's just like with Jason. if he had his memory, or was told where he came from, he would've left Camp Half-Blood and gone back to Camp Jupiter. then they would never have had their quest. And that would be one piece of the puzzle that we wouldn't have had. not to mention that we, the Greeks, wouldn't trust him. Which would make it almost impossible to ever get along with them."

Conner and Travis blinked at each other.

"What?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "She pretty just said that Nico was doing the right thing by not telling Percy who he was."

Thalia scowled.

Nico wanted to smirk at her, but he restrained himself.

"If you do one more this to make things harder in this book," Thalia warned, "I will electrocute you."

Nico had the nerve to smile. "I look forward to it."

"Why, you little -!"

"Thalia," Zeus snapped. Thalia glares at her father, but didn't move any farther toward Nico. "Leave the man alone. This was in the past for him."

"That doesn't matter!" Thalia growled.

"Thalia. I'm not discussing this any more." Zeus frowned. "Now, go sit back down."

Thalia opened her mouth like she wanted to snap some insult back at her father. But then she seemed to remember that her father was the All Powerful Lord of the Skies. so she went and sat back down.

"Thank you." Zeus muttered. "Now who's reading next?"

"I will," Athena said, "it's the new girls chapter. And I am quite interested in her."

**Hazel felt like she'd just introduced two nuclear bombs. Now she was waiting to see which one exploded first.**

Nico smirked.

Percy glared at him.

**Until that morning, her brother Nico had been the most powerful demigod she knew.**

"Wait," Beckendorf said, "how are you her brother?"

"It'll explain it," Nico said, "I'm sure."

**The others at Camp Jupiter saw him as a traveling oddball, about as harmless as the fauns. Hazel knew better. She hadn't grown up with Nico, hadn't even known him for very long. But she knew Nico was more dangerous than Reyna, or Octavian, or maybe even Jason.**

"I don't agree with that," Jason crossed his arms.

Nico smiled, "I've beaten you before, Grace."

**Then she'd met Percy.**

Sally smiled.

"So, Percy is like super powerful, then?" Paul asked. "Because I've never really seen him do anything... _big. _Can he really be that powerful?"

"He was asked to be a god," Nico muttered, "that practically means he's just as powerful as a minor god. So, yeah. I'd say he's pretty damn powerful."

"Cool," Paul looked a little stunned.

**At first, when she saw him stumbling up the highway with the old lady in his arms, Hazel had thought he might be a god in disguise. Even though he was beat up, dirty, and stooped with exhaustion, he's had an aura of power. He had the good looks of a Roman god, with sea-green eyes and windblown black hair.**

**She'd ordered Frank not to fire on him. She thought the god might be testing them. She's hear myths like that: a kid with an old lady begs for shelter, and when the rude mortals refuse - _boom, _they get turned into banana slugs.**

"Have you ever done that Dad?" Travis asked.

Hermes shook his head.

"That's sucks," Conner muttered, "you should do it, so we can brag to the Apollo cabin."

"Hey!" Will growled.

"What?" Conner smirked. "You guys are just too easy to tease."

"Yeah, you should really toughen up." Travis added.

Will glared, but couldn't think of a good enough comeback to beat the Stolls.

**Then Percy had controlled the river and destroyed the gorgons. He's turned a pen into a bronze sword. He'd stirred up the whole camp with talk about the _graecus._**

**A son of the sea god...**

**Long ago, Hazel had been told that a descendant of Neptune would save her. But could Percy really take away her curse? It seemed too much to hope for.**

"A curse?" Piper murmured. "Is that her secret?"

**Percy and Nico shook hands. They studied each other warily, and Hazel fought the urge to run. If these two busted out the magic swords, things could get ugly.**

**Nico didn't appear scary. He was skinny and sloppy in his rumpled black clothes. His hair, as always, looking like he's just rolled out of bed.**

**Hazel remembered when she'd met him. The first time she'd seen him draw that black sword of his, she'd almost laughed. The way he called it "Stygian iron," all serious like - he'd looked ridiculous. This scrawny white boy was no fighter. She certainly hadn't believed they were related.**

Nico frowned, "thanks Hazel, I'll remember that next time I see you."

**She had changed her mind about that quick enough.**

**Percy scowled. "I-I know you."**

**Nico raised his eyebrows. "Do you?" He looked at Hazel for explanation.**

"Don't play too dumb," Thalia grumbled, her arms crossed across her chest.

**Hazel hesitated. Something about her brother's reaction wasn't right.**

"Ha," Thalia mocked, "she saw right through it."

**He was trying hard to act casual, but when he had first seen Percy, Hazel had noticed his momentary look of panic. Nico already knew Percy. She was sure of it. Why was he pretending otherwise?**

**Hazel forced herself to speak. "Um... Percy's lost his memory." She told her brother what had happened since Percy had arrived at the gates.**

**"So, Nico..." she continued carefully. "I thought... you know, travel all over. Maybe you've seen demigods like Percy before, or..."**

"Well, yeah," Leo smiled, "of course he has. He has one of our shirts on." he pointed at Nico's black Camp Half-Blood shirt, it even read _HADES CABIN _under the camps regular logo.

**Nico's expression turned as dark as Tartarus. Hazel didn't understand why, but she got the message: _Drop it._**

**"This story about Gaea's army," Nico said. "You warned Reyna?"**

**Percy nodded. "Who is Gaea, anyway?"**

**Hazel's mouth went dry. Just hearing that name... It was all she could do to keep her knees from buckling. She remembered a woman's soft sleepy voice, a glowing cave, and feeling her lungs full with black oil.**

"That's disturbing," Apollo muttered.

"This girl has a lot of secrets," Demeter observed.

"She will be an interesting character," Athena agreed.

**"She's the earth goddess." Nico glanced at the ground as if it might be listening. "The oldest goddess of all. She's in a deep sleep most of the time, but she hates the gods and their children."**

**"Mother Earth... is evil?" Percy asked.**

"_Boom!_" Percy made the motion of an explosion with his hands. "Your entire childhood as been ruined."

**"Very," Nico said gravely. "She convinced her son, the Titan Kronos - um, I mean, Saturn - to kill his dad, Uranus, and take over the world. The Titans ruled for a long time. Then the Titans' children, the Olympian gods, overthrew them."**

**"That story seems familiar," Percy sounded surprised, like an old memory had partially surfaced. "But I don't think I ever heard the part about Gaea."**

**Nico shrugged. "She got mad when the gods took over. She took a new husband - Tartarus, and spirit of the abyss - and gave birth to a race of giants. They tried to destroy Mount Olympus, but the gods finally beat them. At least... the first time."**

"That sounds hopeful," Luke said.

**"The first time?" Percy repeated.**

**Nico glanced at Hazel. He probably wasn't meaning to make her feel guilty, but she couldn't help it. If Percy knew the truth about her, and the horrible things she'd done...**

**"Last summer," Nico continued, "Saturn tried to make a comeback. There was a second Titan war. The Romans as Camp Jupiter stormed his headquarters on Mount Othrys, across the bay, and destroyed his throne. Saturn disappeared -" He hesitated, watching Percy's face. Hazel got the feeling her brother was nervous that more of Percy's memory might come back.**

"He should be," Thalia grumbled, "Percy would kick his ass if he knew Nico was lying to him like that."

"I don't think he would," Silena muttered. "Percy's too kind, he wouldn't just beat up a friend for that. He needs real reason to every hurt anyone. And he would understand after Nico explained."

Thalia rolled her eyes, "I guess."

**"Um, anyway," Nico continued, "Saturn probably faded back to the abyss. We all thought the war was over. Now it looks like the Titan's defeat stirred up Gaea. She's starting to wake. I've heard reports of giants being reborn. If they mean to challenge the gods again, they'll probably start by destroying the demigods..."**

"Perfect..."

**"You've told Reyna this?" Percy asked.**

**"Of course." Nico's jaw tensed. "The Romans don't trust me. That's why I was hoping she'd listen to you. Children of Pluto... well, no offense, but they think we're even worse then children of Neptune. We're bad luck."**

"So they pretty much hate the Big Three, except for Zeus - um, Jupiter?" Clarisse asked.

Athena smirked at Poseidon, "yeah, pretty much."

Hades and Poseidon moped, while Zeus smiled.

**"They let Hazel stay here," Percy noted.**

**"That's different," Nico said.**

**"Why?"**

**"Percy," Hazel cut in, "look, the giants aren't the worst problem. Even... even _Gaea _isn't the worst problem. The thing you've noticed at the gorgons, how they wouldn't die, _that's _our biggest worry." She looked at Nico. She was getting dangerously close to her own secret now, but for some reason Hazel trusted Percy. Maybe because he was also an outsider, maybe because he's saved Frank at the river. He deserved to know what they were facing.**

**"Nico and I," she said carefully, "we think that what's happening is... Death isn't -"**

**Before she could finish, a shout came from down the hill. **

**Frank jogged toward them, wearing his jeans, purple camp shirt, and a denim jacket. His hands were covered with grease from cleaning weapons.**

"That's a man's job," Ares nodded, "way to get in touch with the weapons, so you know how to use them perfectly, to kill people perfectly in battle."

**As it did every time she saw Frank, Hazel's heart performed a little skip-beat tap-dance - which _really _irritated her.**

Aphrodite smiled, "another perfect match. I am amazing."

**Sure, he was a good friend - one of the only people at camp who didn't treat her as if she had a contagious disease. But she didn't like him in _that _way.**

"That'll change," Aphrodite smirked, "that'll change."

"Mom," Silena said soothingly, "please, don't get creepy."

"Creepy?" Aphrodite waved a hand at her, "I'm _never _creepy, darling. I'm just -"

"Obsessed with people's love life, so much to the point where you've actually stalked them." Artemis grumbled. "No, that's not creepy."

"See! It's not creepy. Thank you Artemis."

**He was three years older than she was, and he wasn't exactly Prince Charming, with that strange combination of baby face and bulky wrestler's body. He looked like a cuddly koala bear with muscles. The fact that everyone always tried to pain them up - _the two biggest losers at camp! You guys are perfect for each other - _just made Hazel more determined not to like him.**

**But her heart wasn't with the program. It went nuts whenever Frank was around. She hadn't felt like that since... well, since Sammy.**

"Another love triangle?"

"Those are so much fun!"

**Stop it, she though. You're here for one reason - and it isn't to get a new boyfriend.**

**Besides, Frank didn't know her secret. If he knew, he wouldn't be so nice to her.**

**He reached the shrine. "Hey, Nico..."**

**"Frank." Nico smiled. He seemed to find Frank amusing,**

"I did," Nico muttered, "and I still do."

**maybe because Frank was the only one at camp who wasn't uneasy around the children of Pluto.**

**"Reyna sent me to get Percy," Franks said. "Did Octavian accept you?"**

**"Yeah," Percy said. "He slaughtered my panda."**

Poseidon sighed, "seriously? The panda? That's what your worried about?"

"I'll get him one for Christmas," Sally noted, then her hopeful expression darkened, like she just remembered something. "That is, _if _he's home for Christmas."

She said it so sadly that all the demigods and gods felt sorry for her. The gods knew what it was like to not know if their children would survive past the next day.

**"He... Oh. The augury? Yeah, teddy bears must have nightmares about that guy. But you're in! We need to get you cleaned up before evening muster."**

**Hazel realized he sun was getting low over the hills. How had the day gone so fast? "You're right," she said. "We'd better -"**

**"Frank," Nico interrupted, "why don't you take Percy down? Hazel and I will be along soon."**

**Uh-oh, Hazel thought. She tried not to look anxious.**

**"That's - that's a good idea," she managed. "Go ahead, guys. We'll catch up."**

**Percy looked at Nico one more time, as though he was still trying to place a memory. "I'd like to talk with you some more. I can't shake the feeling -"**

**"Sure," Nico agreed. "Later. I'll be staying overnight."**

**"You will?" Hazel blurted. The campers were going to love that - the son of Neptune and the son of Pluto arriving on the same day. Now all they needed was some black cats and broken mirrors.**

"Don't be dramatic."

**"Go on, Percy," Nico said. "Settle in." He turned to Hazel, and she got the sense that the worst part of her day was yet to come. "My sister and I need to talk."  
**

"She's almost terrified of you," Rachel noted.

Nico didn't say anything, almost like he wasn't sure of why Hazel was so worried about talking with him.

**"You know him, don't you," Hazel said.**

**They sat on the roof of Pluto's shrine, which was covered with bones and diamonds. As far as Hazel knew, the bones has always been there.**

"That's morbid," Paul muttered. "And they act like it's nothing."

**The diamonds were her fault.**

"What?"

**If she sat anywhere too long, or just got anxious, they started popping up all around her like mushrooms after a rain. Several million dollars' worth of stones glittered on the roof, but fortunately the other campers wouldn't touch them. They knew better than to steal from temples - especially Pluto's - and the fauns never came up here.**

**Hazel shuddered, remembering her close call with Don that afternoon. If she hadn't moved quickly and snatched that diamond off the road... she didn't want to think about it. She didn't need another death on her conscience.**

"How many people has she already killed?" Percy wondered.

**Nico swung his feet like a little kid. His Stygian iron sword lay by his side, next to Hazel's _spatha. _He gazed across the valley, where construction crews were working in the Field of Mars, building fortifications for tonight's games.**

**"Percy Jackson." He said the name like an incantation. "Hazel, I have to be careful what I say. Important things are at work here. Some secrets need to stay secret. You of all people - you should understand that."**

**Hazel's cheeks felt hot. "But he's not like... like me?"**

**"No," Nico said. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more. I can't interfere. Percy has to find his own way at this camp."**

"Let's just hope he doesn't start running his mouth and get killed," Grover grumbled.

**"Is he dangerous?" she asked.**

**Nico managed a dry smile. "Very. To his enemies. But he's not a threat to Camp Jupiter. You can trust him."**

**"Like I trust you," Hazel said bitterly.**

**Nico twisted his skull ring. Around him, bones began to quiver as if they were trying to form a new skeleton. Whenever he got moody, Nico had that effect on the dead, kind of like Hazel's curse. Between them, they represented Pluto's two spheres of control: death and riches. Sometimes Hazel thought Nico had gotten the better end of the deal.**

"Not really," Nico grunted.

"I'd rather be rich," Clarisse smirked, "that sounds _way _better than talking to the dead and being a total creep."

Nico rolled his eyes, "you know I am older than you now."

"So what?" Clarisse's eyes flashed dangerously. "I can still take you on, just because you're an old man doesn't mean that you're any stronger than me."

"Clarisse," Nico muttered, "I was stronger than you when I was eleven."

"Shut up! You were not you Death-Breath!"

"Hey! Clarisse!" Thalia snapped from her seat. "NO one calls him Death-Breath, but _me_! So unless you want to be buried and electrocuted, I offer that you shut that ugly face of yours!"

Clarisse glared at Thalia, but she knew that between the both of them, Nico and Thalia could, and would, kick her in battle.

"Whatever."

**"Look, I know this is hard," Nico said. "But you have a second chance. You can make things right."**

**"Nothing about this is right," Hazel said. "If they find out the truth about me -"**

**"They won't," Nico promised. "They'll call a quest soon. They have to. You'll make me proud. Trust me, Bi -"**

"Oh, gods," Grover paled and glanced over at Nico.

Nico scowled at the tiled floor, his left leg was bouncing nervously.

Grover decided not to say anything.

**He caught himself, but Hazel knew what he's almost called her: _Bianca. _Nico's _real _sister - the one he's grown up with. Nico might care about Hazel, but she'd never be Bianca. Hazel was the simply the next best thing Nico could manage - a consolation prize from the Underworld.**

Hades sighed.

Athena had an idea burst into her mind. _A consolation prize from the Underworld. _She just had the faintest idea of what that meant. _  
_

**"I'm sorry," he said.**

**Hazel's mouth tasted like metal, as if gold nuggets were popping up under her tongue. "Then it's true about Death? Is Alcyoneus to blame?"**

"Another really annoying long name," Leo groaned, "great, just what I needed."

**"I think so," Nico said. "It's getting bad in the Underworld. Dad's going crazy trying to keep things under control. From what Percy had said about the gorgons, things are getting worse up here, too. But look, that's why you're here. All that stuff in your past - you can make something _good _come out of it. You belong at Camp Jupiter."**

**That sounded so ridiculous, Hazel almost laughed. She didn't belong in this place. She didn't even belong in this century.**

"This whole chapter is just confusing," Piper groaned, clenching her head. "It's giving me a headache."

**She should have known better than to focus on the past, but she remembered the day when her old life had been shattered. The blackout his her so suddenly, she didn't even have time to say, _Uh-oh. _She shifted back in time. Not a dream or a vision. The memory washed over her with such perfect clarity, she felt she was actually there.**

**Her most recent birthday. She'd just turned thirteen. But not _last _December - December 17, 1941, the last day she had lived in New Orleans.**

"Okay, so I'm confused." Percy grumbled.

Athena paused as she reread the lines. "It's looks like Hazel get's flashbacks from her past. That was really a couple eighty years ago. So she had once lived in the 1900's."

"So she was brought back through time?" Annabeth asked. "But that's not possible. Is it?"

Zeus glared at Hades. "You're children have always been hard to deal with."

Hades returned the glare. "You're the one to talk."

Nico rubbed his temple, "just be quiet, all of you. Hazel will explain everything. We just have to keep reading."

"But first can we eat?" Conner whined. "I'm starving down here!"

"Sure," Zeus grunted. "Forty minuet break. We will eat lunch in the dinning area. Dismissed."

**END OF HAZEL 5**


	7. Hazel 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

After every had sat down and had stared eating, questions arose.

"So," Sally looked at Nico, "you are from the future?"

Nico nodded, as he poked at his salad. "Yes. I am."

"So you should know if Percy... survives that long?" Paul asked him.

Nico's eyes turned a shade, not darker, but not particularly brighter. Just a different shade, like mixed feelings arose when he thought of that question.

"I can't answer that," Nico finally answered. "I can't answer any real questions about the future. It would ruin the story."

Paul looked a little stunned. "Well, yes. That does make sense."

"So you're Percy's mother?" Piper asked Sally.

Sally smiled, "yes."

"That's so cool!" Leo butted in. "I've heard so many things about him! Did he really defeat the minotaur when he was just twelve?"

Sally nodded, and Leo threw more questions at her.

Piper sighed, she didn't mean to throw Leo on Mrs. Jackson like that. But she should've guess knowing that all Leo's done since they started reading the story, was say how cool Percy sounded.

She was seated next to Silena. The sister that she never met. The one that died in the Titan war, last summer. She looked nothing like Piper. Silena was more fair, and her hair was glossy and dark. Unlike Piper's hard-to-comb hair that wouldn't listen to her no matter how much charmspeak she tried to use.

There was an awkward silence between them. Silena just ate her food, and would only glance up to check on Beckendorf, who was sitting across the table. Unlike Silena and Piper, Leo and Beckendorf talked easily. They talked about projects they had worked on, they ideas they had for improving those projects, and Festus the dragon was even brought up once or twice.

But otherwise the table was a bustling nest of talking, laughing, and a little food throwing from the Stolls. Everyone looked happy. Maybe a little worried at times. Jason could get the thought of Camp Jupiter getting attacked out of his mind. He knew he should be there, with Reyna helping her for the upcoming battle. He didn't trust Jackson to do _everything _by himself. He couldn't protect Camp Jupiter, Jason didn't care what his old friends thought.

Percy was having, probably, the most akward time at the table though. He was seated between Tyson, and Poseidon. Sally and Paul were on the otherside of Poseidon. But they were still close enough that Percy could feel Sally's nervous glances. He didn't want to be reminded of his _own _mother. The one who went crazy and spewed out random things about his future.

Paul was having a hard time realizing that he was actually in _Olympus. _With all the gods and goddesses that Sally has told him he would never be able to meet, because: _Olympus isn't for mortals. _But here he was. All Paul could figure was that everything looked old and beautiful. The gods were terrifying and intimidating. Especially the god of war. What was his name? Ares? Paul made a mental note not to say anything to anger that particular god.

* * *

**HAZEL 6**

After everyone was full and tired. Zeus ordered the mortals and demigods back to the Throne Room to continue reading.

"So who's reading next?" Athena asked. "The last chapter ended on a cliff hanger."

"Most of these chapters do," Hermes noted.

"It makes for a good story," Sally explained.

"I'll read next," Grover spoke up.

**Hazel was walking home alone from the riding stables. Despite the cold evening, she was buzzing with warmth. Sammy had just kissed her on the cheek.**

"That's it?" Percy raised his eyebrows. "That's not really enough to get excited about."

**The day had been full of ups, and downs. Kids at school had teased her about her mother, calling her a witch and a lot of other names.**

Hades's form flickered.

**That had been going on for a long time, or course, but it was getting worse. Rumors were spreading about Hazel's curse. The school was called St. Anges Academy for Colored Children and Indians, a name that hadn't changed in a hundred years. Just like it's name, the place masked a whole lot of cruelty under a thin veneer of kindness.**

"That definitely back in the 1900's," Annabeth muttered. "Academy for Colored Children... yup, totally back in time."

**Hazel didn't understand how other black kids could be so mean. They should've known better, since they themselves had to put up with name-calling all the time. But they yelled at her and stole her lunch, always asking for those famous jewels: "Where's those cursed diamonds, girl? Gimme some or I'll hurt you!" They pushed her away at the water fountain, and threw rocks at her if she tried to approach them on the playground.**

"Oh, poor girl," Sally squeezed Paul's hand, "that's so sad."

**Despite how horrible they were, Hazel never gave them diamonds or gold. She didn't hate anyone _that _much.**

"How is giving people gold and diamonds hating them?" Luke asked.

**Besides, she had one friend - Sammy - and that was enough.**

**Sammy liked to joke that he was the perfect St. Anges student. He was Mexican American, so he considered himself colored _and _Indian. "They should give me a _double _scholarship," he said.**

**He wasn't big or strong, but he had a crazy smile and he made Hazel laugh.**

"He sounds like Leo," Jason smiled.

**That afternoon he'd taken her to the stables where he worked as a groom. It was a "whites only" riding club, of course, but t was closed on weekdays, and with the war on, there was talk the club might have to shut down completely until the Japanese were whipped and the soldiers came back home. Sammy could usually sneak Hazel in to help take care of the horses. Once in a while they'd go riding.**

"Sneaky children."

**Hazel loved horses. They seemed to be the only living things that were scared of her. People hated her. Cats hissed. Dogs growled. Even the stupid hamster in Miss Finley's class room squeaked in terror when she gave it a carrot. But horses didn't mind. When she was in the saddle, she could ride so fast that there was no chance of gemstones cropping up in her wake. She almost felt free of her curse.**

**That afternoon, she'd taken out a tan roan stallion with a gorgeous black mane. She galloped into the fields so swiftly, she left Sammy behind. By the time he caught up, he and his horse were both winded.**

"How can he get winded when he's riding the horse?"

**"What are you running from?" He laughed. "I'm not _that _ugly, am I?"**

**It was too cold for a picnic, but they had one anyway, sitting under a magnolia tree with the horses tethered to a split-rail fence. Sammy had brought her a cupcake with a birthday candle, which had gotten smashed on the ride but was still the sweetest thing Hazel had ever seen. They broke it in half and shared it.**

"That's cute," Silena cooed.

Piper rolled her eyes, but had to agree.

**Sammy talked about the war. He wished he were old enough to go. He asked Hazel if she would write him letters if he were a soldier going overseas.**

**"'Course, dummy," she said.**

**He grinned. Then, as if moved by a sudden impulse, he lurched forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Hazel."**

"Awww!" Aphrodite smiled. "I am amazing at this stuff!"

"Well, you are the goddess of love," Athena muttered.

**It wasn't much. Just one kiss, and not even on the lips. But Hazel felt like she was floating. She hardly remembered the ride back to the stables, or telling Sammy good-bye. He said, "See you tomorrow," like he always did. But she would never see him again.**

"That's sad," Rachel sighed.

**By the time she got back to the French Quarter, it was getting dark. As she approached home, her warm feeling faded, replaced by dread.**

**Hazel and her mother - Queen Marie, she liked to be called - lived in an old apartment above a jazz club. Despite the beginning of the war, there was a festive mood in the air. New recruits would roam the streets, laughing and talking about fighting the Japanese. They'd get tattoos in the parlors or propose to their sweethearts right on the sidewalk. Some would go upstairs to Hazel's mother to have their fortunes read or to buy charms from Marie Levesque, the famous _gris-gris _queen.**

**"Did you hear?" one would say. "Two bits for this good luck charm. I took it to a guy I now, and he says it's a real sliver nugget. Worth twenty dollars! That voodoo woman is crazy!"**

"Twenty dollars, huh?"

**For a while, that kind of talk brought Queen Marie a lot of business. Hazel's curse had started out slowly. At first it seemed like a blessing. The precious stones and gold only appeared once in a while, never in huge quantities. Queen Marie paid her bills. They ate steak for dinner once a week. Hazel even got a new dress. But then stories started spreading. The locals began to realize how many horrible things happened to people who bought those good-luck charms or got paid with Queen Marie's treasure. Charlie Gasceaux lost his arm in a harvester while wearing a gold bracelet. Mr. Henry at the general store dropped dead from a heart attack after Queen Marie settled her tab with a ruby.**

"So they kill people," Percy grumbled, "guess I won't be getting rich."

**Folks started whispering about Hazel - how she could find cursed jewels just by walking down the street. These days only out-of-towners came to visit her mother, and not so many of them, either. Hazel's mom had become short-tempered. She gave Hazel resentful looks.**

"It wasn't Hazel's fault," Piper said, "she didn't know that the jewels were cursed."

**Hazel climbed the stairs as quietly as she could, in case her mother had a customer. In the club downstairs, the band was tuning their instruments. The bakery next door had started making beignets for tomorrow morning, filling the stairwell with the smell of melting butter.**

**When she got to the top, Hazel thought he heard two voices inside the apartment. But when she peeked into the parlor, her mother was sitting alone at the séance table, her eyes closed, as if in a trance.**

"Creepy," Travis said.

"This entire book has been a little creepy," Clarisse muttered.

**Hazel had seen her that way many times, pretending to talk to spirits for her clients - but not ever when she was by herself. Queen Marie had always told Hazel her _gris-gris _was "bunk and hokum." She didn't really believe in charms or fortune telling or ghosts. She was just a performer, like a singer or an actress, doing a show for money.**

**But Hazel knew her mother _did _believe in some magic. Hazel's curse wasn't hokum. Queen Marie just didn't want to think it was her fault - that somehow she had made Hazel the way she was.**

"She did," Nico grumbled.

"Nico," Hades warned. "Quiet."

**"It was your blasted father," Queen Marie would grumble in her darker moods. "Coming here in his fancy silver-and-black suit. The one time I _actually _summon a spirit, and what do I get? Fulfills my wish and ruins my life. I should've been a _real _queen. It's _his _fault you turned out this way."**

"That's a little harsh," Paul muttered.

Hades's form flickered a seconded. Turning into the same pale, skinny man, but instead of the dark ghoulish robes that Hades wore, the man was wearing a silver-and-black suit.

"Pluto," Zeus muttered.

"I'll be leaving in a moment," Pluto grumbled. "Just let me hear this part."

Zeus looked angry. But he didn't say anything. Just scowled.

**She would never explain what she meant, and Hazel had learned not to ask about her father. It just made her mother angrier.**

**As Hazel watched, Queen Marie muttered something to herself. Her face was calm and relaxed. Hazel was struck by how beautiful she looked, without her scowl and the creases in her brow. She had a lush mane of gold-brown hair like Hazel's, and the same dark complexion, brown as a roasted coffee bean. She wasn't wearing the fancy saffron robes or gold bangles she wore to impress clients - just a simple white dress. Still she had a regal air, sitting straight and dignified in her gilded chair as if she really were a queen.**

**"You'll be safe there," she murmured. "Far from the gods."**

**Hazel stifled a scream. The voice coming from her mother's mouth wasn't _hers. _**

"What?"

**It sounded like an older woman's. The tone was soft and soothing, but also commanding - like a hypnotist giving orders.**

**Queen Marie tensed. She grimaced in her trance, then spoke in her normal voice: "It's too far. Too cold. Too dangerous. He told me not to."**

Pluto scowled, he folded his hands together on his lap.

**The other voice responded: "What has he ever done for you? He gave you a poisoned child! But we can use her gift for good. We can strike back at the gods. You will be under my protection in the north, far from the gods' domain. I'll make my son your protector. You'll live like a queen at last."**

**Queen Marie's face winced. "But what about Hazel..."**

**Then her face contorted in a sneer. Both voices spoke in unison, as if they'd found something to agree on: "A poisoned child."**

"Poor Hazel," Piper sighed. "That must be horrible."

**Hazel fled down the stairs, her pulse racing.**

**At the bottom, she ran into a man in a dark suit. He gripped her shoulder with strong, cold fingers.**

**"Easy, child," the man said.**

**Hazel noticed the silver skull ring on his finger, then the strange fabric of his suit. In the shadows, the solid black wool seemed to shift and boil, forming images of faces in agony, as if lost souls were trying to escape from the folds of his clothes.**

"You need a new wardrobe," Aphrodite grumbled. "That suit is too... old."

Pluto rolled his eyes, "of course, Aphrodite. Whatever you say."

"See," Aphrodite looked at Hephaestus. "I've always likes Pluto better than Hades."

**His tie was black with platinum stripes. His shirt was tombstone gray. His face - Hazel's heart nearly leaped out of her throat. His skin was so white it looked almost blue, like cold milk. He had a flap of greasy black hair. His smile was kind enough, but his eyes were fiery and angry, full of mad power. Hazel had seen that look in the newsreels at the movie theater. This man looked like that awful Adolf Hitler. He had no mustache, but otherwise he could've been Hitler's twin - or his father.**

Nico sighed, "that's horrible."

"Tell me about it," Pluto grumbled, "I had no idea I looked like Hitler."

**Hazel tried to pull away. Even when the man let go, she couldn't seem to move. His eyes froze her in place.**

**"Hazel Levesque," he said in a melancholy voice. "You've grown."**

**Hazel started to tremble. At the base of the stairs, the cement stoop cracked under the man's feet. A glittering stone popped up from the concrete like the earth had spit out a watermelon seed. The man looked at it, unsurprised. He bent down.**

**"Don't!" Hazel cried. "It's cursed!"**

"Who cares!"

**He picked up the stone - a perfectly formed emerald. "Yes, it is. But not to me. So beautiful... worth more than this building, I imagine." He slipped the emerald in his pocket. "I'm sorry for your fate, child. I imagine you hate me."**

"No! Not at all! Why would you ever think that?"

**Hazel didn't understand. The man sounded sad, as if he were personally responsible for her life.**

"Technically," Percy said, "he is."

**Her eyes widened. "You? You're my..."**

**He cupped his hand under her chin. "I am Pluto. Life is never easy for my children, but you have a special burden. Now that you're thirteen, we must make provisions -"**

**She pushed his hand away.**

"Rude."

**"You _did _this to me?" she demanded. "You cursed me and my mother? You left us alone?"**

**Her eyes stung with tears. This rich white man in a fine suit was her _father? _Now that she was thirteen, he showed up for the first time and said he was sorry?**

**"You're evil!" she shouted. "You ruined our lives!"**

"They always use that stupid excuses," Ares grumbled. "'You left us. You did this to us! You're the one sending all the monsters.'"

"They have good reason," Hermes grumbled.

Ares groaned. "You sound as bad as Poseidon!"

Poseidon glared at Ares.

**Pluto's eyes narrowed. "What has your mother told you, Hazel? Has she never explained her wish? Or told you why you were born under a curse?"**

**Hazel was too angry to speak, but Pluto seemed to read the answers in her face.**

**"No..." He sighed. "I supposed she wouldn't. Much easier to blame me."**

"Well, yeah. It would be." Luke muttered.

Pluto narrowed his eyes at the demigod. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

**"What do you mean?"**

**Pluto sighed. "Poor child. You were born too soon. I cannot see your future clearly, but someday you will find your place. A descendant of Neptune will wash away your curse and give you peace. I fear, though, that is not for many years..."**

"So Percy is supposed to somehow release her from her curse?" Thalia asked Pluto.

Pluto shrugged.

**Hazel didn't followed any of that. Before she could respond, Pluto held out his hand. A sketch pad and a box or colored pencils appeared in his palm.**

**"I understand you enjoy art and horseback riding," he said. "These are for you art. As for the horse..." His eyes gleamed. "That, you'll have to manage yourself. Now I must speak with your mother. Happy birthday, Hazel."**

"Aw, how sweet." Hera smiled. "Good job Pluto."

Pluto rolled his eyes, "Like you can talk about being a good parent, Juno."

**He turned and headed up the stairs - just like that, as if he'd checked Hazel off his "to do" list and had already forgotten her. _Happy birthday. Go draw a picture. See you in another thirteen years._**

"That's normally how the gods work," Perseus sighed.

"Did you ever meet your, actual father?" Sally asked the other reality version of her son.

Percy didn't look at her when he answered her question. "Once."

**She was so stunned, so angry, so upside-down confused that she just stood paralyzed at the base of the steps. She wanted to throw down the colored pencils and stomp on them. She wanted to charge after Pluto and kick him. She wanted to run away, find Sammy, steal and horse, leave town and never come back. But she didn't do any of those things.**

**Above her, the apartment door opened, and Pluto stepped inside.**

**Hazel was still shivering from his cold touch, but she crept up the stairs to see what he would do. What would he say to Queen Marie? Who would speak back - Hazel's mother, or that awful voice?**

**When she reached the doorway, Hazel heard arguing. She peeked in. Her mother seemed back to normal - screaming and angry, throwing things around the parlor while Pluto tried to reason with her.**

**"Marie, it's insanity," he said. "You'll be far beyond my power to protect you."**

**"Protect me?" Queen Marie yelled. "When have you _ever _protected me?"**

Pluto winced.

"Hit you right in the soft part," Nico smirked.

**Pluto's dark suit shimmered, as if the souls trapped in the fabric were getting agitated.**

**"You have no idea," he said. "I've kept you alive, you and my child. My enemies are everywhere among the gods and men. Now with the war on, it will only get worse. You _must _stay where I can -"**

**"The police think I'm a murderer!" Queen Marie shouted. "My clients want to hang me as a witch! And Hazel - her curse is getting worse. Your _protection _is killing us."_  
_**

"That doesn't mean you have to get possessed," Leo muttered, "you can just skip town and move to Mexico."

"That's pretty much what she's trying to do," Jason said.

"But, going the other direction." Piper added.

Leo shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I would _totally _rather go to Mexico."

**Pluto spread his hands in a pleading gesture. "Marie, please -"**

**"No!" Queen Marie turned to the closet, pulled out a leather valise, and threw it on the table. "We're leaving," she announced. "You can keep your protection. We're going north."**

"Why north?" Annabeth asked her mother.

Athena sighed, "the farther north you go, the less land the gods can protect and control."

"That's why it's so rugged up there," Apollo added, "and it get's so cold because my hot face can't get up there as well."

Artemis sighed. "I'm getting a headache."

**"Marie, it's a trap," Pluto warned. "Whoever's whispering in your ear, whoever's turning you against me -"**

**"_You _turned me against you!" She picked up a porcelain vase and threw it hat him. It shattered on the floor, and precious stones spilled everywhere - emeralds, rubies, diamonds. Hazel's entire collection.**

"Aw, man," Conner looked like he was starting to drool.

"All that money," Travis agreed with his brother, and he was _defiantly _starting to drool.

**"You won't survive," Pluto said. "If you go north, you'll both die. I can foresee that clearly."**

**"Get out!" she said.**

**Hazel wished Pluto would stay and argue. Whatever her mother was talking about, Hazel didn't like it. But her father slashed his hand across the air and dissolved into shadows... like he really _was_ a spirit.**

**Queen Marie closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. Hazel was afraid the strange voice might possess her again. But when she spoke, she was her regular self.**

**"Hazel," she snapped, "come out from behind that door."**

**Trembling, Hazel obeyed. She clutched the sketch pad and colored pencils to her chest.**

**Her mother studied her like she was a bitter disappointment. A _poisoned child, _the voices had said.**

**"Pack a bag," she ordered. "We're moving."**

"That poor girl," Sally frowned.

**"Wh-where?" Hazel asked.**

"I would like to know that too," Rachel said.

**"Alaska," Queen Marie answered. "You're going to make yourself useful. We're going to start a new life."**

"Up there? It's freezing!"

**The way her mother said that, it sounded as if they were going to create a "new life" for someone else - or some_thing _else.**

**"What did Pluto mean?" Hazel asked. "Is he really my father? He said you made a wish -"  
**

**"Go to your room!" her mother shouted. "Pack!"**

**Hazel fled, and suddenly she was ripped out of the past.**

"That was scary," Tyson grumbled, "I feel bad for the little girl."

Grover sighed before continuing reading.

**Nico was shaking her shoulders. "You did it again."**

**Hazel blinked. They were still sitting on the roof of Pluto's shrine. The sun was lower in the sky. More diamonds had surfaced around her, and her eyes stung from crying.**

**"S-sorry," she murmured.**

**"Don't be," Nico said. "Where were you?"**

**"My mother's apartment. The day we moved."**

"That would suck just being told your moving, then leaving _that _day. Without a word about it." Rachel said.

**Nico nodded. He understood her history better than most people could. He was also a kid from the 1940s. He's been born only a few years after Hazel, and had been locked away in a magic hotel for decades. But Hazel's past was much worse than Nico's. She'd caused so much damage and misery...**

**"You have to work on controlling those memories," Nico warned. "If a flashback like that happens when you're in combat -"**

**"I know," she said. "I'm trying."**

"That would get messy."

**Nico squeezed her hand. "It's okay. I think it's a side effect from... you know, your time in the Underworld. Hopefully it'll get better."**

**Hazel wasn't so sure. After eight months, the blackouts seemed to be getting worse, as if her soul was attempting to live in two different time periods at once. No one had ever come back from the dead before - at least, bot the way _she _had. Nico was trying to reassure her, but neither of them knew what would happen.**

**"I can't go north again," Hazel said. "Nico, if I have to go back to where it happened -"**

**"You'll be fine," he promised. "You'll have friends this time. Percy Jackson - he's got a role to play in this. You can sense that, can't you? He's a good person to have at your side."**

**Hazel remembered what Pluto told her long ago: _A descendant of Neptune will wash away your curse and give you peace._**

**Was Percy the one? **

"That sounds funny..."

**Maybe, but Hazel sensed it wouldn't be so easy. She wasn't sure even Percy could survive what was waiting in the north.**

**"Where did he come from?" she asked. "Why do the ghosts call him the Greek?"**

**Before Nico could respond, horns blew across the river. The legionnaires were gathering for evening muster.**

**"We'd better get down there," Nico said. "I have a feeling tonight's games are going to be interesting."**

"Perfect," Grover grumbled, "interesting around Percy mean water, and a lot of crying."

"I'll read next," Luke told Grover, "I like interesting."

**END OF HAZEL 6**

**I have to go to the dentist tomorrow... gughhghughughguh.**


	8. Hazel 7

**We haven't even gotten to Frank yet...**

* * *

**HAZEL 7**

**On the way back, Hazel tripped over a gold bar.**

Luke read.

**She should have known not to run so fast, but she was afraid of being late for muster. The Fifth Cohort had the nicest centurions in camp. Still, even ****_they _****would have to punish her if she was tardy. Roman punishments were harsh: scrubbing the streets with a toothbrush, cleaning the bull pens at the coliseum, getting sewn inside a sack full of angry weasels and dumped into the Litter Timber - the option were not great.**

"Romans are cruel," Thalia scowled, "how did you ever survive? Jason?"

Jason frowned. "They're fine, if you follow their rules."

"And we _all _know that Jason always follows the rules," Leo mocked his friend.

"Leo, I will shock you."

"No you won't."

"Wanna bet?"

"You wouldn't - ouch!"

"Told, you."

**The gold bar popped out of the ground just in time for her foot to hit it. Nico tried to catch her, but she took a spill and scraped her hands.**

**"You okay?" Nico knelt next to her and reached for the bar of gold.**

**"Don't!" Hazel warned. **

**Nico froze. "Right. Sorry. It's just... jeez. That thing is ****_huge." _**

The Stolls started drooling again.

"Boys," Hermes muttered, "close your mouths."

**He pulled out a flask of nectar from his aviator jacket and poured at little on Hazel's hands. Immediately the cuts started to heal. "Can you stand?"**

**He helped her up. They both stared at the gold. It was the size of a bread loaf, stamped with a serial number and the words ****_U.S. TREASURY _****on it.**

**Nico shook his head. "How in Tartarus -?"**

**"I don't know," Hazel said miserably. "It could've been buried there by robbers or dropped off a wagon a hundred years ago. Maybe it migrated from the nearest bank vault. Whatever's in the ground, anywhere close to me - it just pops up. and the more valuable it is -"**

**"The more dangerous it is." Nico frowned. "Should be cover it up? If the fauns find it..."**

"Like Don?"

"I don't think it would be a bad thing if Don found it."

"Sadly, I agree."

**Hazel imagined a mushroom cloud billowing up from the road, char-boiled fauns tossed in every direction. It was too horrible to consider.**

"Wait, what?"

**"It _should _sink back underground after I leave, eventually, but just to be sure..."**

**She'd been practicing this trick, but never with something so heavy and dense. She pointed at the gold bar and tried to concentrate.**

**She gold levitated. She channeled her anger, which was hard - she hated that gold, she hated her curse, she hated thinking about her past and all the ways she'd failed. Her fingers tingled. The gold bar glowed with heat.**

**Nico gulped. "Um, Hazel, are you sure...?"**

**She made a fist. The gold bent like putty. Hazel forced it to twist into a giant, lumpy ring. Then she flicker her hand toward the ground. Her million-dollar doughnut slammed into the earth. It sank so deep, nothing was left but a scar of fresh dirt.**

"That's crazy," Conner muttered, "why couldn't she just keep it, then after the curse was broken by Percy, she could - I don't know - give it to me!"

"Or me!" Travis elbowed Conner. "Or me! Don't hog it all for yourself."

**Nico's eyes widened. "That was... terrifying."**

"Like you should talk," Luke grumbled. "You are the one who can summon dead people."

**Hazel didn't think it was so impressive compared to the powers of a guy who could reanimate skeletons and bring people back from the dead, but it felt good to surprise _him _for a change.**

**Inside the camp, horns blew again. The cohorts would be starting to roll call, and Hazel had no desire to be sewn into a sack of weasels.**

**"Hurry!" she told Nico, and they ran for the gates.**

"She's dead."

"Again."

**The first time Hazel had seen the legion assemble, she'd been so intimidated, she'd almost slunk back to the barracks to hide. Even after being at camp for nine months, she still found it an impressive sight.**

**The first four cohorts, each forty kids strong, stood in rows in front of their barracks on either side of the Via Praetoria. The Fifth Cohort assembled at the very end, in front of the _Principia, _since their barracks were tucked in the back corner of camp next to the stables and the latrines. Hazel had to run right down the middle of the legion to reach her place.**

"Embarrassing."

**The campers were dressed for war. Their polished chain mail and greaves gleamed over purple T-shirts and jeans. Sword-and-skull designs decorated their helmets. Even their leather combat boots looked ferocious with their iron cleats, great for marching through mud or stomping on faces.**

**In front of the legionnaires, like a line of giant dominoes, stood their red and gold shields, each the size of a refrigerator door. Even legionnaires carried a harpoonlike spear called a _pilum, _a _gladius, _a dagger, and about a hundred pounds of other equipment. If you were out of shape when you came to the legion, you didn't stay that way for long. Just walking around in your armor was a full-body workout.**

"Sounds like fun," Paul said, "I'm glad I don't have to do it."

**Hazel and Nico jogged down the street as everyone was coming to attention, so their entrance was _really _obvious. Their footsteps echoed on the streets. Hazel tried to avoid eye contact, but she caught Octavian at the head of the First Cohort smirking at her, looking smug in his plumed centurion's helmet with a dozen medals pinned on his chest.**

**Hazel was still seething from his blackmail threats earlier. Stupid augur and his gift of prophecy - of all the people at camp to discover her secrets, why did it have to be _him? _She was sure he would have told on her weeks ago, except that he knew her secrets were worth more to him as leverage. She wished she'd kept that bar of gold so she could hit him in the face with it.**

"Or give it to me..." Travis tried.

**She ran past Reyna, who was cantering back and forth on her pegasus Scipio - nicknamed Skippy because he was the color of peanut butter. The metal dogs Aurum and Argentum trotted at her side. Her purple officer's cape billowed behind her.**

**"Hazel Levesque," she called, "so glad you could join us."**

**Hazel knew better than to respond. She was missing most of her equipment, but she hurried to her pace in line next to Frank and stood at attention. Their lead centurion, a big seventeen-year-old name Dakota, was still calling her name - the last one on the roll.**

Jason's eyes brightened. "Good thing Dakota is alright. I was worried about that guy."

**"Present!" she squeaked.**

**Thank the gods. Technically, she wasn't late.**

"Technically," Percy confirmed.

**Nico joined Percy Jackson, who was standing off to one side with a couple of guards. Percy's hair was wet from the baths. He's put on fresh clothes, but he still looked uncomfortable. Hazel couldn't blame him. He was about to be introduced to two hundred heavily armed kids.**

"He used to lead that many kids, just as heavily armed." Grover grunted.

**The Lares were the last ones to fall in. Their purple forms flickered as they jockeyed for places. They had an annoying habit of standing halfway inside living people, so that the ranks looked like a blurry photograph, but finally the centurions got them sorted out.**

**Octavian shouted, "Colors!"**

**The standard-bearers stepped forward. They wore lion-skin capes and held poles decorated with each cohort's emblems. The last to present his standard was Jacob, the legion's eagle bearer. He held a long pole with absolutely nothing on top. The job was supposed to be a big honor, but Jacob obviously hated it. Even though Reyna insisted on following tradition, every time the eagleless pole was raised, Hazel could feel embarrassment rippling through the legion.**

**Reyna brought her pegasus to a halt.**

"Is she going to scream at them some more?" Clarisse asked. "I really hope she is."

**"Romans!" she announced. "You've probably heard about the incursion today. Two gorgons were swept into the river by this newcomer, Percy Jackson. Juno herself guided him here, and proclaimed him a son of Neptune."**

**The kids in the back rows craned their neck to see Percy. He raised his hand and said, "Hi."**

"Seriously?"

**"He seeks to join the legion," Reyna continued. "What do the auguries say?"**

**"I have read the entrails!" Octavian announced, as if he'd killed a lion with his bare hands rather than ripping up a stuffed panda pillow. "The auguries are favorable. He is qualified to serve!"**

"Because he has all his teeth?" Poseidon asked.

**The campers gave a shout: _"Ave!" Hail!_**

**Frank was a little late with his "_ave_" so it came out as a little high-pitched echo. The other legionnaires snickered.**

**Reyna motioned the senior officers forward - one form each cohort. Octavian, as the most senior centurion, turned to Percy.**

**"Recruit," he asked, "do you have credentials? Letters of reference?"**

**Hazel remembered this from her oven arrival. A lot of kids brought letters from older demigods in the outside world, adults who were veterans of the camp. Some recruits had rich and famous sponsors. Some were third- or fourth-generation cohorts, sometimes even special jobs like legion messenger, which made you exempt from the grunt work like digging ditched or conjugation Latin verbs.**

**Percy shifted. "Letters? Um, no."**

**Octavian wrinkled his nose.**

**_Unfair! _Hazel wanted to shout. Percy had carried a goddess into camp. What better recommendation could you want?  
**

"She has a point Jason," Piper muttered, "maybe the whole 'letters' and stuff is a little crazy."

Leo nodded, "all it's really doing is giving the generations more privilege over the actual sons and daughters of the gods. They are more powerful, they should get treated better."

Jason frowned, like they insulted him.

"It's the way the camp has been working for generations, I can't just change that." Jason grumbled. "And I think it's fine. I didn't have a letter either, and I turned out just fine. So it's not bad. It just tells us who you are and who your godly heritage is."

"Whatever, man." Leo waved at hand at the frowning Jason. "Think what you want, just don't get so defensive."

**But Octavian's family had been sending kids to camp for over a century. He loved reminding recruits that they were less important than he was.**

**"No letters," Octavian said regretfully. "Will any legionnaires stand for him?"**

**"I will!" Frank stepped forward. "He saved my life!"**

**Immediately there were shouts of protest from the other cohorts. Reyna raised her hand for quiet and glared at Frank.**

"Crap, Frank," Jason sighed, "keep you're mouth shut."

**"Frank Zhang," she said, "for the second time today, I remind you that you are on _probatio. _Your godly parent has not even claimed you yet. You're not eligible to stand for another camper until you've earned your first stripe."**

**Frank looked like he might die of embarrassment.**

**Hazel couldn't leave him handing. She stepped out of line, and said, "What Frank Zhang means is that Percy saved _both _our lives. I am a full member of the legion. I will stand for Percy Jackson."**

"Nice save."

**Frank glanced at her gratefully, but the other campers started to mutter. Hazel was barely eligible. She'd only gotten her stripe a few weeks ago, and the "act of valor" that earned it for her had been mostly an accident. Besides, she was daughter of Pluto, and a member of the disgraced Fifth Cohort. She wasn't doing Percy much of a favor by giving him her support.**

"Well, that sucks," Leo leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. "We get to watch our new found friend die."

"Which one?" Piper asked him.

"All three."

**Reyna wrinkled her nose, but she turned to Octavian. The augur smiled and shrugged, like the idea amused him.**

**Why not? Hazel though. Putting Percy in the Fifth Cohort would make him less of a threat, and Octavian liked to keep all his enemies in one place.**

**"Very well," Reyna announced. "Hazel Levesque, you may stand for the recruit. Does your cohort accept him?"**

"They know that Percy is strong and powerful," Silena scowled, "but they still treat him like a reject because he's the son of Po-Neptune?"

"He has to prove himself," Jason sighed.

"He did!" Beckendorf said. "He saved Frank's life by squashing the gorgons by controlling the water! That's strong enough for anyone to think he was a complete badass."

**The other cohorts started coughing, trying not to laugh. Hazel knew what they were thinking: _Another loser for the Fifth._**

**Frank pounded his shield against the ground. The other members of the Fifth followed his lead, though they didn't seem very excited. Their centurions, Dakota and Gwen, exchanged pained looks, like: _Here we go again._**

**"My cohort has spoken," Dakota said. "We accept the recruit."**

**Reyna looked at Percy with pity. "Congratulations, Percy Jackson. You stand on _probatio. _You will be given a tablet with you name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. _Senatur Populusque Romanus!"_**

"Well they're not too bad at welcoming people in," Luke muttered, "even when they hate you them make you feel, at least, a little special."

**The rest of the legion echoed the cheer.**

**Reyna wheeled her pegasus away from Percy, like she was glad to be down with him. Skippy spread his beautiful wings. Hazel couldn't help feeling a pang of envy. She'd give anything for a horse like that, but it would never happen. Horses were for officers only, or barbarian cavalry, not for Roman legionnaires.**

"Well that sucks," Will said, "she should be able to at least ride a pegasus. We do at our Camp."

**"Centurions," Reyna said, "you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Good fortune!"**

"Oh, how kind of her she gave us good fortune!"

**A bigger cheer went up - for the war games and for dinner. The cohorts broke ranks and ran for the mess hall.**

**Hazel waved at Percy, who made his way through the crowed with Nico at his side. To Hazel's surprise, Nico was beaming at her.**

**"Good job, Sis," he said. "That took guts, standing for him."**

**He had never called her _Sis _before.**

"Is it really _that _big of a deal?" Luke grumbled.

**She wondered if that was what he had called Bianca.**

Nico sighed.

Obviously the whole subject was still a sore spot.

**One of the guards had given Percy his _probatio _nameplate. Percy strung it on his leather necklace with the strange beads.**

**"Thanks, Hazel," he said. "Um, what exactly does it mean - your standing for me?"**

**"I guarantee your good behavior," Hazel explained. "I teach you the rules, answer your questions, make sure you don't disgrace the legion."**

"Percy? _Not _break rules?" Grover laughed. "That's never happened before!" Then he seemed to remember that Sally was sitting just a few people down from him. "Sorry, Mrs. Jackson."

Sally smiled sadly. "No, you're right. He probably will break some kind of rule. On accident."

"Always on accident," Thalia rolled her eyes.

**"And... if I do something wrong?"**

"Which he will."

**"Then I get killed along with you," Hazel said.**

"Oh."

"She's a dead girl."

**"Hungry? Let's eat."**

"That's a great way to end a chapter. Luke scowled. "Death, the best way to end anything. Go out with a bang."

"Technically, no one _really _died, so, it didn't end with death. It just ended with the mention of death." Annabeth pointed out.

Luke scowled, "thanks. Like I really care."

He looked away.

"Who's reading next?" He raised up the book. "I'm sick of reading."

"I'll do it," Will said. "Just to shut you up."

**END OF HAZEL 7**

**Extra chapter! Just because I already have three written in advance for Friday. So I thought I might as well post an extra chapter just to make up for the long wait you guys had to endure.**


	9. Hazel 8

**This a long chapter...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**HAZEL 8**

Pluto sighed. "I was going coming for that last chapter. I must be going. Jupiter will smite me, if I don't."

"Cool," Ares snapped, "you can leave now."

Pluto glared, but flicked his hand and sitting in his place was Hades.

Hades scowled. "I hate it when that guy does that!"

"I still like Pluto more than Hades," Aphrodite sighed.

**At least the camp food was good. **

Will read.

**Invisible wind spirits - ****_aurae _****- waited on campers and seemed to know exactly what everyone wanted. They blew plates and cups around so quickly, the mess hall looked like a delicious hurricane. If you got up too fast, you were likely to get beaned by beans or potted by a pot roast.**

"More horrible puns."

**Hazel got shrimp gumbo - her favorite comfort food. It made her think about being a little girl in New Orleans, before her curse set in and her mom got so bitter. Percy got a cheeseburger and strange-looking soda that was bright blue.**

Sally smiled, "he still remembers that. Somehow."

**Hazel didn't understand that, but Percy tried it and grinned.**

**"This makes me happy," he said. "I don't know why... but it does."**

"Same old Percy," Grover muttered, "even when he can't remember, he still the same old guy."

**Just for a moment, one of the ****_aurae _****became visible - an elfin girl in a white silk dress. She giggled as she topped off Percy's glass, the disappeared in a gust.**

**The mess hall seemed especially noisy tonight. Laughter echoed off the walls. War banners rustled from cedar ceiling beams as _aurae _blew back and forth, keeping everyone's plates full. The campers dined Roman style, sitting on couches around low tables. Kids were constantly getting up and trading places, spreading rumors about whom liked whom and all the other gossip.**

"We need that!" Conner smiled. "We have to sit with our cabin."

"You know how annoying, Conner can get?" Travis asked everyone. After getting no answer, "well he's a pain in the butt! He get's crazy after even having a sip of Mountain Dew."

"Hey!" Conner slapped Travis. "You do too!"

"Oh, yeah."

"BUT, we still need to have the couches and stuff," Conner continued. "That would be awesome!"

**As usual, the Fifth Cohort took the place of _least _honor. Their tables were at the back of the dining hall next to the kitchen. Hazel's table was always the least crowded. Tonight it was she and Frank, as usual, with Percy and Nico and their centurion Dakota, who sat there, Hazel figured, because he felt obligated to welcome the new recruit.**

**Dakota reclined glumly on his couch, mixing sugar into his drink and chugging it. He was a beefy guy with curly black hair and eyes that didn't quiet line up straight, so Hazel felt like the world was leaning whenever she looked at him. It wasn't a good sign that he was drinking so much so early in the night.**

"He's not drinking wine?" Sally looked appalled. "Is he?"

Jason smirked, "no. We give him Kool-Aid."

**"So." He burped, waving his goblet. "Welcome to the Percy, party." He frowned. "Party, Percy. Whatever."**

**"Um, thanks," Percy said, but his attention was focused on Nico. "I was wondering if we could talk, you know... about where I might have seen you before."**

**"Sure," Nico said a little too quickly. "The thing is, I spend most of my time in the Underworld. So unless I met you there somehow -"**

"Don't give him sass!" Thalia growled at Nico.

Who just raised his hand calmly in surrender.

**Dakota belched. "Ambassador from Pluto, they call him. Reyna's never sure what to do with this guy when he visits. You should have seen her face when he showed up with Hazel, asked Reyna to take her him. Um, no offense."**

"How could he not take offense to that?" Will wondered.

**"None taken." Nico seemed relieved to change the topic.**

"Seriously?"

**"Dakota was really helpful, standing for Hazel."**

**Dakota blushed. "Yeah, well... She seemed like a good kid. Turned out I was right. Last month, when she saved me from, uh, you know."**

**"Oh, man!" Frank looked up from his fish and chips. "Percy, you should have seen her! That's how her stripe. The unicorns decided to stampede -"**

"UNICORNS!"

**"It was nothing," Hazel said.**

**"Nothing?" Frank protested. "Dakota would've gotten trampled! You stood right in front of them, shooed them away, saved his hide. I've never seen anything like it."**

"She really _is _good with horses," Demeter complimented.

**Hazel bit her lip. She didn't like to talk about it, and she felt uncomfortable, the way Frank made her like a hero. In truth, she'd been mostly afraid that the unicorns would hurt themselves in their panic. Their horns were precious metal - silver and gold - so she'd managed to turn them aside simple by concentrating, steering the animals by their horns and guiding them back to the stables. It had gotten her a full place in the legion, but it had also started rumors about her strange powers - rumors that reminded her of the bad old days.**

**Percy studied her. Those sea-green eyes made her unsettled.**

"What's wrong with my eyes?" Percy asked.

"Not, your eyes," Annabeth muttered. "You're eyes are a different color, than Hero Percy's."

"How do you know that?" Percy looked at her, his eyebrows raised.

By now all the people from the reality with Percy.

"I-I, I just..."

"Annabeth?" Rachel asked her friend. "Don't be weird, please."

"What?" Annabeth was blushing furiously. As much as it shouldn't be embarrassing to her, the fact that she'd had dreams about a guy that wasn't her boyfriend, was enough to make he want to keep her mouth shut. "I had dreams. Alright. Is that good enough for you?"

Rachel frowned, "you've had dreams about the other reality Percy?"

Annabeth sighed, "it's not like I can choose what my dreams are about Rachel."

"I-I know it's just that I expected to be he having dreams about... Luke, or something." Rachel glanced over at Traitor Luke, just checking to make sure he didn't explode.

"I wish I was," Annabeth muttered. "But I haven't had a dream about Hero Percy since last time we were reading."

"And you didn't tell me?" Rachel asked. "You're supposed to tell me about all the guys you dream about."

"Rachel," Annabeth frowned, "seriously. I didn't understand what the dreams were supposed to mean - I _still _don't know what they were supposed to mean. So, yeah. I know what Hero Percy looks like." She looked back at Traitor Percy. The pale scar that stretched down the right side of his face was a big reason why he wasn't considered handsome. He used to be called that, before he got the injury. But now, the scowled had lightened - only slightly - but the scar was still just as pale as ever.

**"Did you and Nico grow up together?" he asked.**

**"No," Nico answered for her. "I found Hazel was my sister only recently. She's from New Orleans."**

**That was true, of course, but not the whole truth. Nico let people think he'd stumbled upon her in modern New Orleans and brought her to camp. It was easier than telling the real story.**

**Hazel had tried to pass herself off as a modern kid. It wasn't easy. Thankfully, demigods didn't use a lot of technology at camp. Their powers tended to make electronic gadgets go haywire. But the first time she went on furlough into Berkeley, she nearly had a stoke. Televisions, computers, iPods, the Internet... It made her glad to get back to the world of ghosts, unicorns, and gods. That seemed _much _less of a fantasy than the twenty-first century.**

"She's insane."

**Nico was still talking about the children of Pluto. "There aren't many of us," he said, "so we stick together. When I found Hazel -"**

**"You have other sisters?" Percy asked, almost as if he knew the answer. Hazel wondered again when he and Nico had met, and what her brother was hiding.**

**"One," Nico admitted. "But she died. I saw her spirit a few times in the Underworld, except that the last time I went down there..."**

**To bring her back, Hazel thought, though Nico didn't say that.**

**"She was gone." Nico's voice turned hoarse. "She used to be in Elysium - like, the Underworld paradise - but she chose to be reborn into a new life. Now I'll never see her again. I was just lucky to find Hazel... in New Orleans, I mean."**

**Dakota grunted. "Unless you believe the rumors. Not saying that I do."**

"I would love to hear these rumors," Athena said.

"Same here," Ares sneered, "I want to help spread them."

Aphrodite slapped him.

**"Rumors?" Percy asked.**

**From across the room, Don the faun yelled, "Hazel!"**

"He ruins everything!"

**Hazel had never been so glad to see the faun. He wasn't allowed in camp, but of course he always managed to get in. He was working his way toward their table, grinned at everybody, sneaking food off plates, and pointing at campers: "Hey! Call me!" A flying pizza smacked him in the head, and he disappeared behind a couch. Then he popped up, still grinning and made his way over.**

"That guy's unstoppable," Grover sighed.

**"My favorite girl!" He smelled like a wet goat wrapped in old cheese. He leaned over their couches and checked out their food. "Say, new kid, you going to eat that?"**

**Percy frowned. "Aren't fauns vegetarian?"  
**

**"Not the cheeseburger, man! The plate!" He sniffed Percy's hair. "Hey... what's that smell?"**

"Does he still stink?" Thalia wondered. "Even after taking a shower?"

**"Don!" Hazel said. "Don't be rude."**

**"No, man, I just -"**

**Their house god Vitellius shimmered into existence, standing half embedded in Frank's couch. "Fauns in the dining hall! What are we coming to? Centurion Dakota, do you duty!"**

Conner and Travis chuckled. "'Duty.'"

**"I am," Dakota grumbled into his goblet. "I'm having dinner."**

**Don was still sniffing Percy. "Man, you've got an empathy link with a faun!"  
**

"He can smell that?" Thalia asked Grover.

Grover looked a little stunned. Like he'd forgotten that satyrs/fauns could do that.

**Percy leaned away from him. "A what?"**

**"An empathy link! It's real faint, like somebody's suppressed it, but -"**

**"I know what!" Nico stood suddenly.**

"You jerk!" Thalia sent a bolt of shock at Nico, who just held a open palm out and a spire of tile erupted from the ground, blocking the electricity.

"Thalia," Zeus boomed, "clam down!"

Thalia glared at Nico. Who just lowered his hand and the tile spire retreated back into the floor.

"These kids are terrifying," Paul whispered to Sally.

Sally shrugged, "you'll get used to it."

**"Hazel, how about we give you and Frank time to get Percy oriented? Dakota and I can visit the praetor's table. Don and Vitellius, you come too. We can discuss strategies for the war games."**

**"Strategies for losing?" Dakota muttered.**

**"Death Boy is right!' Vitellius said. "This legion fights worse then we did in Judea, and that was the _first _time we lost our eagle. Why, if _I _were in charge -"**

**"Could I just eat the silverware first?" Don asked.**

**"Let's go!" Nico stood and grabbed Don and Vitellius by the ears.**

**Nobody but Nico could actually touch the Lares. Vitellius splittered with outrage as he was dragged off to the praetor's table.**

"I wish I was there to see that," Jason smirked.

**"Ow!" Don protested. "Man, watch the 'fro!"**

**"Come on, Dakota!" Nico called over his shoulder.**

**The centurion got up reluctantly. He wiped his mouth - uselessly, since it was permanently stained red. "Back soon." He shook all over, like a dog trying to get dry. Then he staggered away, his goblet sloshing.**

**"What was that about?" Percy asked. "And what's wrong with Dakota?"**

**Frank sighed. "He's okay. He's a son of Bacchus, the wine god. He's got a drinking problem."**

**Percy's eyes widened. "You let him drink _wine_?"  
**

"That's my boy." Sally smiled. "I raised him right."

**"Gods, no!" Hazel said. "That would be a disaster. He's addicted to red Kool-Aid. Drinks it with three times the normal sugar, and he's already ADHD - you know, attention deficit/hyperactive. One of these days, his head is going to explode."**

"And red Kool-Aid will pour out." Leo sighed.

**Percy looked over at the praetor's table. Most of the senior officers were in deep conversation with Reyna. Nico and his two captives, Dakota and Vitellius, stood on the periphery. Dakota was running back and forth along a line of staked shield, banging his goblet on they like they were xylophone.**

"That dude need some medication..."

**"ADHD," Percy said. "You don't say."**

**Hazel tried not to laugh. "Well... most demigods are. Or dyslexic. Just being a demigod means that our brains are wired differently. Like you - you said you have trouble reading."**

**"Are you guys that way too?" Percy asked.**

"Probably," Athena said, "at least they should be."

**"I don't know," Hazel admitted. "Maybe. Back in my day, they just called kids like us 'lazy.'"**

"I still get called lazy," Travis grumbled.

"That because you _are_ lazy." Will rolled his eyes. "It has nothing to do with your reading skills. You're lazy with _everything_."

**Percy frowned. "Back in _your _day?"_  
_**

"Oops," Clarisse smirked, "she let something slip."

**Hazel cursed herself.**

**Luckily for her, Frank spoke up: "I wish I was ADHD or dyslexic. All I got is lactose intolerance."**

"I understand why that guy isn't highly liked." Apollo muttered.

**Percy grinned. "Seriously?"**

**Frank might've been the silliest demigod ever, but Hazel thought he was cute when he pouted. His shoulders slumped. "And I love ice cream, too..."**

"That must suck."

**Percy laughed. Hazel couldn't help joining in. It was good to sit at diner and actually feel like she was among friends.**

**"Okay, so tell me," Percy said, "why is it bad to be in the Fifth Cohort? You guys are great."**

**The compliment made Hazel's toes tingle. "It's... complicated. Aside from being Pluto's kid, I want to ride horses."**

**"That's why you use a cavalry sword?"**

"That makes sense."

**She nodded. "It's stupid, I guess. Wishful thinking. There's only one pegasus at camp - Reyna's. The unicorns are just kept for medicine, because the shavings off their horns cure poison and stuff. Anyway, Roman fighting is always done on foot. Cavalry... they kind of look down on that. So they look down on me."**

"That's not fair," Conner protested. "What's wrong with horses? They are awesome! You can like... ride them, and stuff."

**"Their lose," Percy said. "What about you, Frank?"**

**"Archery," he muttered. "They don't like that either, unless you're a child of Apollo. Then you've got an excuse. I hope my dad _is _Apollo, but I don't know. I can't do poetry very well. And I'm not sure I want to be related to Octavian."**

"Is your son, Dad?" Will asked his father.

Apollo frowned. "I don't think I should say. But I don't think so."

**"Can't blame you," Percy said. "But you're excellent with the bow - the way you pegged those gorgons? Forget what other people think."**

"Always so inspirational," Beckendorf smirked.

**Frank's face turned as red as Dakota's Kool-Aid. "Wish I could. They all think I should be a sword fighter because I'm big and bulky." He looked down at his body, like he couldn't quite believe it was his. "They say I'm too stocky for an archer. Maybe if my dad would ever claim me..."**

"If he was at Camp Half-Blood," Annabeth whispered under her breath, "he would have already been claimed."

**They ate in silence for a few minutes. A dad who wouldn't claim you... Hazel knew the feeling. She sense Percy could relate, too.**

**"You asked about the Fifth," she said at last. "why it's the worst cohort. That actually started way before us."**

**She pointed to the back wall, where the legion's standards were on display. "See the empty pole in the middle?"**

**"The eagle," Percy said.**

**Hazel was stunned. "How'd you know?"**

**Percy shrugged. "Vitellius was talking about how the legion lost its eagle a long time ago - the _first _time, he said. He acted like it was a huge disgrace. I'm guessing that's what's missing. And from the way you and Reyna were talking earlier, I'm guessing you eagle got lost a second time, more recently, and it had something to do with the Fifth Cohort."**

"Wow," Jason raised an eyebrow. "He's smarter than he seems."

"He get's that alot," Thalia smirked.

Sally smiled, proud at her son. She's never been able to hear or see what he was like when he was at camp. What he was like without her. She knew he was a great demigod, but it was still nice to hear about his heroics and kind nature toward people.

**Hazel made a mental note not to underestimate Percy again. When he'd first arrived, she'd thought he was a little goofy from the questions he'd asked - about the Feast of Tuna and all - but clearly he was smarter than he let on.**

"Yeah, Annabeth," Percy said to Annabeth from across the line of couches. He was smirking.

Annabeth wasn't.

**"You're right," she said. "That's exactly what happened."**

**"So what _is _this eagle, anyway? Why is it a big deal?"**

**Frank looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "It's the symbol of the whole camp - a big eagle made of gold. It's supposed to protect us in battle and make our enemies afraid. Each legion's eagle gave it all sorts of power, nicknamed our legion 'Fulminata' - armed with lighting - because of what the eagle could do."**

**"I don't like lightning," Percy said.**

"Good," Zeus grumbled. "He's not supposed to."

Poseidon rolled his eyes.

**"Yeah, well," Hazel said, "it didn't make us invincible. The Twelfth lost its eagle the first time way back in the ancient days, during the Jewish Rebellion."**

**"I think I saw a movie like that," Percy said.**

**Hazel shrugged. "Could be. There have been lots of books and movies about legions losing their eagles. Unfortunately it happened quiet a few times. The eagle was so important... well, archaeologists have _never _recovered a single eagle from ancient Rome. Each legion guarded theirs to the last man, because it was charged with power from the gods. They'd rather hide it or melt it down than surrender it to an enemy. The Twelfth was lucky the first time. We got our eagle back. But the second time..."**

**"You guys were there?" Percy asked.**

**They both shook their heads.**

"It's was a long time ago," Jason scowled, "but I can't remember exactly _how _long ago..."

**"I'm almost as new as you." Frank tapped his _probatio _plate. "Just got here last month. But everyone's heard the story. It's bad luck to even talk about this. There was this huge expedition to Alaska back in the eighties..."**

**"That prophecy you noticed in the temple," Hazel continued, "the one about the seven demigods and the Doors of Death? Our senior praetor at the time was Micheal Varus, from the Fifth Cohort. Back then the Fifth was the best in camp. He thought it would bring glory to the legion if he could figure out the prophecy and make it come true - save the world from storm and fire and all that. He talked to the augur, and the augur said the answer was in Alaska. But he warned Micheal it wasn't time yet. The prophecy wasn't for him."**

**"But he went anyway," Percy guessed. "What happened?"**

**Frank lowered his voice. "Long, gruesome story. Almost the entire Fifth Cohort was wiped out. Most of the legion's Imperial gold weapons were lost, along with the eagle. The survivors went crazy or refused to talk about what had attacked them."**

"That's scary," Tyson muttered, "is there a monsters there? A bad guy."

"Probably," Silena sighed. "This probably means that they're going to go there now, aren't they."

Thalia nodded, "most likely."

"Perfect," Sally said.

_**I **_**know, Hazel thought solemnly. But she kept silent.**

**"Since the eagle was lost," Frank continued, "the camp has been getting weaker. Quests are more dangerous. Monsters attack the borders more often. Morale is lower. The last month or so, things have been getting much worse, much faster." **

"That's bad," Jason rubbed his forehead. "That's _really _bad."

**"And the Fifth Cohort took the blame," Percy guessed. "So now everything thinks we're cursed."**

**Hazel realized her gumbo was cold. She sipped a spoonful, but the comfort food didn't taste very comforting. "We've been the outcasts of the legion since... well, since the Alaska disaster. Our reputation got been when Jason became praetor -"**

**"The kid who's missing?" Percy asked.**

**"Yeah," Frank said. "I never met him. Before my time. But I hear he was a good leader. He practically grew up in the Fifth Cohort."**

"I did."

**"He didn't care what people thought about us. He started to rebuild our reputation. Then he disappeared."**

**"Which put us back at square one," Hazel said bitterly. "Made us look cursed all over again. I'm sorry, Percy. Now you know what you've gotten yourself into."**

**Percy sipped his blue soda and gazed thoughfully across the dining hall. "I don't even know where I came from... but I've got a feeling this wasn't the first time I've been underdog."**

"He's always been the underdog." Nico muttered. "His entire life."

**He focused on Hazel and managed a smile. "Besides, joining the legion is better than being chased through the wilderness by monsters. I've got myself some new friends. Maybe together we can turn things around for the Fifth Cohort, huh?"**

**A horn blew at the end of the hall. The officers at the praetor's table got to their feet - even Dakota, his mouth vampire-red from Kool-Aid.**

**"The game begin!" Reyna announced. The campers cheered and rushed to collect their equipment from the stacks along the walls.**

"Games," Ares smiled. "Perfect."

**"So we're the attacking team?' Percy asked over the noise. "Is that good?"**

**Hazel shrugged. "Good news: we got the elephant. Bad news -"**

**"Let me guess," said Percy. "The Fifth Cohort always loses."**

**Frank slapped Percy on the shoulder. "I love this guy. Come one, new friend. Let's go chalk up my thirteenth defeat in a row!"**

"They won't lose," Tyson smiled, "they have brother! He can win capture-the-flag all the time!"

"Not all the time," Thalia smiled. "I beat him once."

"Hunters of Artemis are hard to play against." Will said.

Thalia smiled.

"I'll read next," Demeter said. "I'm getting bored."

**END OF HAZEL 8**


	10. Frank 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**FRANK 9**

**As he marched to the war games, Frank replayed the day in his mind. He couldn't believe how close he'd come to death.**

"So we're reading about think guys now?" Luke grumbled. "Perfect, that means he'll be around for the majority of the book."

"He seems nice," Rachel defended, "so shut up."

"Whatever."

**That morning on sentry duty, before Percy showed up, Frank had almost told Hazel his secret. The two of them had been standing for hours in the chilly fog, watched the commuter traffic on Highway 24. Hazel had been complaining about the cold.**

**"I'd give anything to be warm," she said, her teeth chattering. "I wish we had a fire."**

**Even with her armor on, she looked great. **

"So we have a girl, that doesn't want to be in a relationship with the guy, but her heart wants her too." Athena said. "Then we have the guy who loves her and worships the ground she walks on. Am I right, Aphrodite?"

Aphrodite smiled, "Yep! You've gotten good at this Athena! I'm proud of you."

Athena sighed, obviously regretting that she ever said anything about the subject in the first place. No one needs to get Aphrodite started. They were lucky that she has been quiet all morning.

**Frank liked the way her cinnamon-toast-colored hair curled around the edges of her helmet, and the way her chin dimpled when she frowned. She was tiny compared to frank, which made him feel like a big clumsy ox. He wanted to put his arms around her to warm her up, but he'd never do that. She's probably hit him, and he'd lose the only friend he had at camp.**

"You never know until you try."

**I could make a really impressive fire, he thought.**

"Me too!" Leo smiled and his index finger burst into flames.

**Of course, it would only burn for a few minutes, and then I'd die...**

"Do all these characters have insane secrets?" Annabeth asked.

**It was scary that he even considered it. Hazel had that effect on him. Whenever she wanted something, he had the irrational urge to provide it. He wanted to be the old-fashioned knight riding to her rescue, which was stupid, as she was way more capable at ****_everything _****then he was.**

**He imagined what his grandmother would say: ****_Frank Zhang riding to the rescue? Ha! He'd fall off his horse and break his neck._**

"Great grandmother." Percy muttered. "I'm sure she's nice."

**Hard to believe it had been only six weeks since he'd left his grandmother's house - six weeks since his mom's funeral.**

**Everything had happened since them: wolves arriving at him grandmother's door, the journey to Camp Jupiter, the weeks he'd spent in the Fifth Cohort trying not to be a complete failure. Though it all, he'd kept the half-burned piece of firewood wrapped in a cloth in his coat pocket.**

"Is that his secret?" Silena wondered. "Seems like a weird thing to keep secret."

"You'll see," Nico muttered, "it's worse than it seems."

_**Keep it close, **_**his grandmother had warned. ****_As long as it is safe, you are safe._**

**The problem was that it burned so easily. He remembered the trip south from Vancouver. When the temperature dropped below freezing near Mouth Hood, Frank had brought out the piece of tinder and held it in his hands, imagining how nice it would be to have some fire. Immediately, the charred and blazed with searing yellow flame. It lit up the night and warmed Frank to the bone, but he could feel his life slipping away, as if ****_he _****were being consumed rather than the wood. He'd thrust the flame into a snowbank. For a horrible moment it kept burning. When it finally went out, Frank god his panic under control. He wrapped the piece of wood and put it back in his coat pocket, determined not to bring it out again. But he couldn't forget.**

"Okay," Clarisse said, "I agree, that _is _worse than it sounds."

**It was as though someone has said, "Whatever you do, don't think about that stick bursting into flame!"**

**So of course, that's all he thought about.**

**On sentry duty with Hazel, he would try to take his mind off it. He loved spending time with her. He asked her about growing up in New Orleans, but she got edgy at his questions, so they made small talk instead. Just for fun, they tried to speak French to each other. Hazel has some Creole blood on her mother's side. Frank had taken French in school. Neither of them was very fluent, and Louisiana French was so different from Canadian French it was almost impossible to converse. When Frank asked Hazel how her beef was feeling today, and she replied that the shoe was green, they decided to give up.**

**Then Percy Jackson had arrived.**

**Sure, Frank had seen kids fight monsters before. He'd fought plenty of them himself on his journey from Vancouver. But he'd never seen gorgons. He'd never seen a goddess in person. And the way Percy had controlled the Little Tiber - wow. Frank wished he had powers like that.**

"No, you don't." Percy growled. "They just create more trouble then they're worth."

Annabeth cursed herself when a slight feeling of pity started to grow in her chest. She pushed the feeling down, and forced herself to avoid looking at Percy.

**He could still feel the gorgons' claws pressing into his arms and smell their snaky breath - like dead mice and poison. If not for Percy, those grotesque hags would have carried him away. He'd be a pile of bones in the back of a Bargain Mart by now.**

"Imagine finding those," Conner wrinkled his nose. "Do you think it would smell?"

Travis thought for a second, "depends on if there was still leftover meat. Then it would smell."

"Yeah," Conner nodded, "that would make sense."

**After the incident at the river, Reyna had sent Frank to the armory, which had given him way too much time to think. **

**While he polished swords, he remembered Juno, warning them to unleash Death.**

**Unfortunately Frank has a pretty good idea of what the goddess meant.**

"How?"

**He had tried to hide his shock when Juno had appeared, but she looked exactly like his grandmother had described - right down to the goatskin cape.**

"When did the boy's grandmother see you?" Zeus asked Hera.

Hera sighed. "I'm Hera right now, dear. If you really want to know, you'll have to wait and ask Juno."

"Don't play games with me, woman!" Zeus growled. "This whole thing has been about you, and the way you've messed with people's lives! You just created more drama. Drama that might kill every demigod at both camps. Do you really want that to happen?"

Hera frowned. "Of course not. But the gamble had to be done. I thought you, out of all the idiots here, would know that."

"Hey!" Hermes butted in. "I'm not an idiot!"

"And you can forget about me doing your hair for the Summer solstice." Aphrodite said. "You ruined your chance at gorgeous hair."

"Can we just keep reading?" Hades grumbled. "I hate hearing you all bicker."

"Shut up!"

"I agree," Poseidon said. "I just want to read and get done with this book."

"So we can go on to the next one?" Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"I just want to get to the end and know for sure if Percy lives or not." Poseidon murmured. "This constant worry is driving me crazy."

"Tell me about it," Hephaestus grumbled, "the last book Leo almost died like fifty times."

"Hey," Leo said, "it was sixty. Gosh dad, I thought you would have at least counted!"

"Quiet!" Zeus commanded. Shutting up the gods who were still yelling insults at Hera for calling them idiots - even though that was the perfect term for them, in Zeus's mind. Everyone gave up on their arguments, even though they still seemed to have more to say.

"Hera, you better have a good reason for this," Demeter muttered before continuing to read.

_**She chose your path years ago, **_**Grandmother had told him. _And it will not be easy._**

**Frank glanced at his bow in the corner of the armory. He'd felt better if Apollo would claim him as a son. Frank had been _sure _his godly parent would speak up on his sixteenth birthday, which had passed two weeks ago.**

**Sixteen was an important milestone for Romans. It had been Frank's first birthday at camp. But nothing had happened. Now Frank hoped he would be claimed on the Feast of Fortuna, though from what Juno has said, they'd be in a battle for their lives on that day.**

"A perfect day to be claimed!"

**His father _had _to be Apollo. Archery was the only thing Frank was good at. Years ago, his mother had told him that their family name, _Zhang, _meant "master of bows" in Chinese. That must have been a hint about his father.**

**Frank put down his polishing rags. He looked at the ceiling. "Please, Apollo, if you're my dad, tell me. I want to be an archer like you."  
**

Everyone looked at Apollo for an answer.

"What?" Apollo asked. "I can't tell you."

"Aphrodite and Hephaestus were able to tell us about Leo and Piper," Annabeth noted. "So why can't you?"

Apollo sighed, "because, Frank's is more climatic than Leo and Pipers. Their's was obvious and boring. Franks is going to be awesome!"

**"No, you don't," a voice grumbled.**

**Frank jumped out of his seat. Vitellius, the Fifth Cohort's Lar, was shimmering behind him. His full name as Gaius Vitellius Reticulus, but the other cohorts called him Vitellius the Ridiculous.**

"Sounds like something the Stolls would think of." Clarisse muttered.

**"Hazel Levesque sent me to check on you," Vitellius said, hiking up his sword belt. "Good thing, too. Look at the state of this armor!"**

**Vitellius wasn't one to talk. His toga was baggy, his tunic barely fit over his belly, and his scabbard fell off his belt every three seconds, but Frank didn't bother pointing that out.**

**"As for archers," the ghost said, "they're wimps!"**

"Hey!" Will and Apollo said in unison.

**"Back in my day, archery was a job for barbarians. A good Roman should be in the fray, gutting his enemy with spear and sword like a civilized man!"**

"That sounds like the complete opposite of civilized to me," Paul muttered, looking a little scared. "These Romans are insane."

"Everyone is insane," Sally told him. "Just wait, it get worse."

**"That' show we did it in the Punic Wars. Roman up, boy!"**

**Frank sighed. "I thought you were in Caesar's army."**

**"I was."**

**"Vitellius, Caesar was hundreds of years after the Punic Wars. You couldn't have been alive that long."**

Athena sighed.

**"Questioning my honor?" Vitellius looked so mad, his purple aura glowed. He drew his ghostly _gladius _and yelled, "Take that!"**

**He ran the sword, which was as deadly as a laser pointer, through Frank's chest a few times.**

"Oh, wow."

**"Ouch," Frank said, just to be nice.**

**Vitellius looked satisfied and put his sword away. "Perhaps you'll think twice about doubting your elders next time! Now... it was your sixteenth birthday recently, wasn't it?"**

**Frank nodded. He wasn't sure how Vitellius knew this, since Frank hasn't told anyone except Hazel, but ghosts had ways of finding out secrets. Eavesdropping while invisible was probably one of them.**

**"So that's why you're such a grumpy gladiator," the Lar said. "Understandable. The sixteenth birthday is your day of manhood! Your godly parent should have claimed you, no doubt about it, even if with only a small omen. Perhaps he thought you were younger. You look younger, you know, with that pudgy baby face."  
**

**"Thanks for reminding me," Frank muttered.**

"Vitellius just doesn't know how to shut up," Piper observed, "does he."

"No," Jason sighed. "No, he does not."

**"Yes, I remember my sixteenth," Vitellius said happily. "Wonderful omen! A chicken in my underpants."**

"Did I hear that right?" Paul asked. "Because that doesn't seem like a 'wonderful omen.'"

"It's not," Jason sighed, "but Vitellius won't believe otherwise."

**"Excuse me?"**

**Vitellius puffed up with pride. "That's right! I was at the river changing my clothes for my Liberalia. Rite of passage into manhood, you know. We did things properly back then. I'd taken off my childhood toga and was washing up to don the adult one. Suddenly, a pure-white chicken ran out of nowhere, dove into my loincloth, and ran off with it. I wasn't wearing it at the time."**

Piper scowled. "That sounds disgusting."

"Why did he tell us that?" Rachel asked. "We _really _didn't need to know that."

**"That's good," Frank said. "And can I just say: Too much information?"**

**"Mm." Vitellius wasn't listening. "That was the sign I was descended from Aesculapius, the god of medicine. I took my cognomen, my third name, Reticulus, because it meant _under-garment, _to remind me of the blessed day when a chicken stole my loincloth."**

"Seriously?" Percy said. "He's _really _stupid."

**"So... your name means Mr. Underwear?"**

**"Praise the gods! I became a surgeon in the legion, and the rest is history." He spread his arms generously. "Don't give up, boy. Maybe your father is running late. Most omens are not as dramatic as a chicken, of course. I knew a fellow once who got a dung beetle -"**

"Someone, please, shut him up!"

**"Thanks, Vitellius," Frank said. "But I have to finish polishing this armor -"**

**"And the gorgon's blood?"**

**Frank froze.**

"What is he talking about?"

**He hadn't told anyone about that. As far as he knew, only Percy had seen him pocket the vials at the river, and they hadn't had a chance to talk about it.**

**"Come now," Vitellius chided. "I'm a healer. I know the legends about gorgon's blood. Show me the vials."**

**Reluctantly, Frank brought out the two ceramic flasks he's retrieved from the Little Tiber. Spoils of war were often left behind when a monster dissolved - sometimes a tooth, or a weapon, or even the monster's entire head. Frank had known what the two vials were immediately. By tradition they belonged to Percy, who had killed the gorgons, but Frank couldn't help thinking, What if I could use them?**

"What if Percy could use them?" Travis asked. "Hmmm, have you ever thought of that?"

**"Yes." Vitellius studied the vials approvingly. "Blood taken from the right side of a gorgon's body can cure any disease, even bring the dead back to life. The goddess Minerva once have a vial of it to my divine ancestor, Aesculapius. But blood taken from the left side of a gorgon - instantly fatal. So, which is which?"**

**Frank looked down at the vials. "I don't know. They're identical."**

"That can be bad." Annabeth muttered.

"Think your getting healed," Rachel said, "but then - _boom! _- you die instead."

"Thanks for the visual, Rachel," Will grumbled.

"I couldn't help it."

**"Ha! But you're hoping the right vial can solve your problem with the burned stick, eh? Maybe break your curse?"**

**Frank was so stunned he couldn't talk.**

**"Oh, don't worry boy." The ghost chuckled. "I won't tell anyone. I'm a Lar, a protector of the cohort! I wouldn't do anything to endanger you."**

"That's reassuring."

**"You stabbed my through the chest with your sword."**

"Good point," Ares laughed.

**"Trust me, boy! I have sympathy for you, carrying the curse of that Argonaut."**

**"The... what?"**

**Vitellius waved away the question. "Don't be modest. You've got ancient roots. Greek as well as Roman. It's not wonder Juno -" His tilted his head, as if listening to a voice from above. His face went slack. His entire aura flickered green. "But I've said enough! At any rate, I'll let you work out who gets the gorgon's blood. I supposed that newcomer Percy could use it too, with his memory problem."**

Sally sighed. "He has a choice to make."

**Frank wondered what Vitellius had been about to say and what had made him so scared, but he got the feeling that for once Vitellius was going to keep his mouth shut.**

**He looked down at the two vials. He hadn't even thought of Percy needing them. He felt guilty that he'd been intending to use the blood for himself. "Yeah. Of course. He should have it."**

"I feel bad for him," Silena muttered.

**"Ah, but if you want my advice..." Vitellius looked up nervously again. "You should both wait on that gorgon's blood. If my sorces are right, you're going to need it on your quest."**

**"Quest?"  
**

"They have to go on a quest?"

**The doors of the armory flew open.**

**Reyna stormed in with her metal greyhounds. Vitellius vanished. He might have liked chickens, but he did not like the praetor's dogs.**

**"Frank." Reyna looked troubled. "That's enough with the armor. Go find Hazel. Get Percy Jackson down here. He's been up there too long. I don't want Octavian..." She hesitated. "Just get Percy down here."**

"That's a little rambly."

**So Frank had ran all the way to Temple Hill.**

**Walking back, Percy had asked tons of questions about Hazel's brother, Nico, but Frank didn't know that much.**

Nico smirked. "I'm glad he wanted to know so much about me."

"He already knows alot about you," Thalia said.

**"He's okay," Frank said. "He's not like Hazel -"**

**"How do you mean?" Percy asked.**

**"Oh, um..." Frank coughed. He's meant that Hazel was better looking and nicer, but he decided not to say that. **

Nico grumbled something under his breath.

**"Nico is kind of mysterious. He makes everybody else nervous, being the son of Pluto, and all."**

**"But not you?"**

**Frank shrugged. "Pluto's cool. It's not his fault he runs the Underworld. He just got back luck when the gods were dividing up the world, you know? Jupiter got the sky, Neptune got the sea, and Pluto got the shaft."**

**"Death doesn't scare you?"**

"Wow, way to get to the point there, Perce."

**Frank almost wanted to laugh. _Not at all! Got a match?  
_**

**Instead he said, "Back in the old times, like the Greek times, when Pluto was called Hades,"**

"I'm still called Hades," Hades grumbled.

**"he was more of a death god. When he became Roman, he got more... I don't know, respectable. He became the god of wealth, too. Everything under the earth belong to him. So I don't think of him as being real scary."**

**Percy scratched his head. "How does a god _become _Roman If he's Greek, wouldn't he stay Greek?"**

**Frank walked a few steps, thinking about that. Vitellius would've given Percy an hour-long lecture on the subject, probably with a PowerPoint presentation, but Frank took his best shot. "The way ROmans saw it, they adopted the Greek stuff and perfected it."**

Beckendorf laughed. "Perfected it? He means that they made everyone turn into complete jerks?"

"Pretty much," Jason admitted.

**Percy made a sour face. "Perfected it? Like there was something wrong with it?"**

**Frank remembered what Vitellius had said: _You've got ancient roots. Greek as well as Roman. _His grandmother had said something similar.**

**"I don't know," he admitted. "Rome was more successful than Greece."**

"Depends on how you look at it."

**"They made this huge empire. The gods became a bigger deal in Roman times - more powerful and widely known. That's why they're still around today. So many civilizations base themselves on Rome. The gods changed to Roman because that's where the center of power was. Jupiter was... well, more responsible as a Roman god than he had been when he was Zeus."**

"No, I didn't." Zeus snapped. "I stayed the same."

"No, you did." Poseidon said. "You did get better as Jupiter."

"I agree," Hera said, "sorry, dear."

**"Mars became a lot more important and disciplined."**

"No I didn't!" Ares protested.

"Yes you did," Aphrodite muttered. "I like Mars _way _more than Ares. Even though I still hate Mars."

**"And Juno became a hippie bag lady," Percy noted.**

"I hate that boy." Hera grumbled.

"I think he's right," Poseidon smirked.

**"So you're saying the old Greek gods - they just changed permanently to Roman? There's nothing left of the Greeks?"**

**"Uh..." Frank looked around to make sure there were no campers or Lares nearby, but the main gates were still a hundred yards away. "That's a sensitive topic. Some people say Greek influence is still around, like it's still a part of the gods' personalities. I've hears stories of demigods occasionally leaving Camp Jupiter. They reject Roman training and try to follow the older Greek style - like being solo heroes instead of working as a team the way the legion does. And back in the ancient days, when Rome fell, the eastern half of the empire survived - the Greek half.**

**Percy stared at him. "I didn't know that."**

"No offense dude," Grover said, "but you don't know much of anything right now."

**"It was called Byzantium." Frank liked saying that word. It sounded cool. "The eastern empire lasted another thousand years, but it was always more Greek than Roman. For those of us who follow the Roman way, it's kind of a sore subject. That's why, whatever country we settle in, Camp Jupiter is always in the west - the _Roman _part of the territory. The east is considered bad luck."**

**"Huh." Percy frowned.**

**Frank couldn't blame him for feeling confused. The Greek/Roman stuff gave him a headache, too.**

**They reached the gates.**

**"I'll take you to the baths to get you cleaned up," Frank said. "But first... about those vials I found at the river."**

**"Grogon's blood," Percy said. "One vial heals. One is deadly poison."**

**Frank's eyes widened. "You _know _about that?"**

"Yeah, the stupid gorgon told him."

**"Listen, I wasn't going to keep them. I just -"**

**"I know why you did it, Frank."**

**"You do?"**

**"Yeah." Percy smiled. "If I'd come into camp carrying a vial of poison, that would've looked bad. You were trying to protect me."**

"That's..." Percy sighed. "Really?"

**"Oh... right." Frank wiped the sweat off his palms. "But if we could figure out which vial was which, it might heal your memory."**

**Percy's smile faded. HE gazed across the hills. "Maybe... I guess. But you should hang on to those vials for now. There's a battle coming. We may need them to save lives."**

**Frank started at him, a little in awe.**

"Always has to be the hero," Luke grumbled, "can't be selfish for a freakin second."

"And what's wrong with that?" Thalia asked him, she clenched her fists.

"It's just get's annoying after a while."

**Percy had a chance to get his memory back, and he was willing to wait in case someone else needed the vial more Romans were supposed to be unselfish and help their comrades, but Frank wasn't sure anyone else at camp would have made that choice.**

**"So you don't remember anything?" Frank asked. "Family, friends?"**

**Percy fingered the clay beads around his neck.**

Travis laughed. "Fingered."

"Gross," Conner wrinkled his nose.

**"Only glimpses. Murky stuff. A girlfriend... I thought she'd be at camp." He looked at Frank carefully, as if making a decision. "Her name was Annabeth. You don't know her, do you?"**

**Frank shook his head. "I know everybody at camp, but no Annabeth. what about your family? Is your mom mortal?"**

**"I guess so... she'd probably worried out of her mind."**

"He still remembers that you worry," Grover suggested to Sally. "That's something at least."

"Yeah, but he doesn't remember, remember her." Leo muttered. "Not like he remembers Annabeth."

Piper smacked him.

**"Does your mom get to see you much?"**

**Franks stopped at the bathhouse entrance. He grabbed some towels from the supply shed. "She died."**

**Percy knit his brow. "How?"**

"Dude, sensitive subject, you don't just ask people that."

**Usually Frank would lie. He's say _an accident _and shut off the conversation. Otherwise his emotions got out of control. He couldn't cry at Camp Jupiter. He couldn't show weakness. But with Percy, Frank found it easier to talk.**

**"She died in the war," he said. "Afghanistan."**

**"She was in the military?"**

**"Canadian. Yeah."**

**"Canada? I didn't know -"**

**"Most Americans don't." Frank sighed. "But yeah, Canada has troops there. My mom was a captain. She was one of the first women to die in combat. She saved some soldiers who were pinned down by enemy fire. She... she didn't make it. The funeral was right before I came down here."**

"Well that sucks," Leo muttered. "Your mom just died, then your shipped off to California to join a Roman camp where everyone will hate you. Have fun!"

"Really, Leo?"

**Percy nodded. He didn't ask for more details, which Frank appreciated. He didn't say he was sorry, or make any of the well-meaning comments. Frank always hated: _Oh, you poor guy. That must be so hard on you. You have my deepest condolences._**

**It was like Percy had faced death before, like he knew about grief. What mattered was listening. You didn't need to say you were sorry. The only thing that helped was moving on - moving forward.**

**"How about you show me the baths now?" Percy suggested. "I'm filthy."**

**Frank managed a smile. "Yeah. You kind of are."**

"Gross."

**As they walked into the steam room, Frank thought of his grandmother, his mom, and his cursed childhood, thanks to Juno and her piece of firewood. He almost wished he could forget his past, the way Percy had.**

"That's it," Demeter grumbled, "and I'm still bored."

"I'll read next," Ares offered.

"You'll read next?" Aphrodite asked. "Who drugged you? Athena?"

"It wasn't me," Athena defended.

"Just shut up and let me read," Ares scowled.

**END OF FRANK 9**


	11. Frank 10

**Jeez, we are already in the double digits. This has gone by so fast. Probably not for you guys, but for me...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**FRANK 10**

**Frank didn't remember much about the funeral itself. But he remembered the hours leading up to it - his grandmother coming out into the backyard to find him shooting arrows at her porcelain collection.**

Ares read.

**His grandmother's house was a rambling gray stone mansion on twelve acres in North Vancouver. Her backyard ran straight into Lynn Canyon Park.**

**The morning was cold and drizzly, but Frank didn't feel the chill. He wore a black wool suit and a black overcoat that had once belonged to his grandfather. Frank had been startled and upset to find that they fit him fine. The fabric was itchy but warm. With his bow and quiver, he probably looked like a very dangerous butler.**

"This is going to be depressing, isn't it?"

"Most likely."

**He'd loaded some of his grandmother's porcelain in a wagon and toted it into the yard, where he sat up targets on old fence posts at the edge of the property. He'd been shooting so long, his fingers were starting to lose their feeling. With every arrow, he imagined he was striking his problems. **

**Snipers in Afghanistan. ****_Smash. _****A teapot exploded with an arrow through the middle.**

"At least he's a good shot," Percy offered.

**The sacrifice medal, a silver disk on a red-and-black ribbon, given for death in the line of duty, presented to Frank as if it were something important, something that made everything alright. ****_Thwack. _****A teacup spun into the woods.**

**The officer who came to tell him: "Your mother is a hero. Captain Emily Zhang died trying to save her comrades." ****_Crack. _****A blue-and-white plate split into pieces.**

"He's destructive," Conner muttered, "he didn't seem that way."

**His grandmother's chastisement: ****_Men do not cry. Especially Zhang men. You will endure, Fai._**

**No one called him Fai except his grandmother.**

_**Wort sort of name is Frank? **_**she would scold. ****_That is not a Chinese name._**

"And Emily is?"

_**I'm not Chinese, **_**Frank thought, but he didn't dare say that. His mother had told him years ago: ****_There is no arguing with Grandmother. It'll only make you suffer worse. _****She'd been right. And now Frank had no one except his grandmother.**

_**Thud.**_** A fourth arrow hit the fencepost and stuck there, quivering.**

"How many arrows does this guy have?"

**"Fai," said his grandmother.**

**Frank turned.**

**She was clutching a shoebox-sized mahogany chest that Frank had never seen before. With her high-collared black dress and severe bun of gray hair, she looked like a schoolteacher from the 1800s.**

**She surveyed the carnage: her porcelain in the wagon, the shards of her favorite tea sets scattered over the lawn, Frank's arrows sticking out of the ground, the trees, the frenceposts, and one in the head of a smiling garden gnome.**

"What did he ever do?"

**Frank thought she would yell, or hit him with the box. He'd never done anything bad before. He'd never felt so angry.**

**Grandmother's face was full of bitterness and disapproval. She looked nothing like Frank's mom. He wondered how his mother had turned out to be so nice - always laughing, always gentle. Frank couldn't imagine his mom growing up with Grandmother any more than he could imagine her on the battlefield - though the two situations probably weren't that different.**

**He waited for Grandmother to explode. Maybe he'd be grounded and wouldn't have to go to the funeral. He wanted to hurt her for being so mean all the time, for letting his mother go off to war, for scolding him to get over it. All she cared about was her stupid collection.**

"She does sound cruel," Aphrodite said.

"She has her reasons," Athena said, "I'm sure."

"Of course you are, you always think that being hard on kids can make them better people," Hermes said, "sometime you just have to be kind and gentle. Not always trying to make them into warriors."

"They need to be prepared for what they will face in their lifetime," Athena scowled. "You baby them, then, the first time they come across a hard situation, they don't know how to deal with it, and give up. That's dangerous in the outside world."

"There _is _a happy medium." Poseidon said. "Treat them like children, but let them deal with their own problems. Unless they prove to be too difficult for them, then you can step in."

Athena sighed, "you've always thought that, Poseidon."

"It's worked, hasn't it?"

"To a point." Athena muttered. "But your immortal children are nothing more than spoiled brats."

Poseidon scowled. "Don't insult my son."

"He _is _a brat though," Hades agreed. "But being immortal can do that to anyone. It takes a strong person to stay kind and rational."

Athena smiled, "good thinking Hades, never hear that from you before."

"I just didn't want to hear you two fight," Hades grumbled, "you guys are horrible."

**"Stop this ridiculous behavior," Grandmother said. She didn't sound very irritated. "It is beneath you."**

**To Frank's astonishment, she kicked aside one of her favorite teacups.**

**"The car will be here soon," she said. "We must talk."**

**Frank was dumbfounded. He looked more closely at the mahogany box. For a horrible moment, he wondered if it contained his mother's ashes, but that was impossible. Grandmother had told him there would be a military burial. Then why did Grandmother hold the box so gingerly, as if its contents grieved her?**

"It's has his stick in it," Will said.

**"Come inside," she said. Without waiting to see if he would follow, she turned and marched toward the house.**

**In the parlor, Frank sat on a velvet sofa, surrounded by vintage family photos, porcelain vases that had been too large for his wagon, and red Chinese calligraphy banners. Frank didn't know what the calligraphy said. He'd never had much interest in learning. He didn't know most of the people in the photographs, either.**

"That's weird," Beckendorf said, "he didn't even bother to ask?"

**Whenever Grandmother started lecturing him about his ancestors - how they'd come over from China and prospered in the import/export business, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest Chinese families in Vancouver - well, it was boring. Frank was fourth-generation Canadian. He didn't care about China and all these musty antiques. The only Chinese character he could recognize was his family name: Zhang. _Mast of bows. _That was cool.**

**Grandmother sat next to him, her posture stiff, her hands folded over the box.**

**"Your mother wanted you to have this," she said with reluctance. "She kept it since you were a baby. When she went away to the war, she entrusted it to me. But now she is gone. And soon you will be going, too."**

**Frank's stomach fluttered. "Going? Where?"**

**"I am old," Grandmother said,**

"Thanks Capitan Obvious."

**as if that were a surprising announcement. "I have my own appointment with Death soon enough. I cannot teach you the skills you will need, and I cannot keep this burden. If something were to happen to it, I would never forgive myself. You would die."**

**Frank wasn't sure he'd heard her right. It sounded like she had said his life depended on that box. He wondered why he'd never seen it before. She must have kept it locked in the attic - the one room Frank was forbidden to explore. She'd always said she kept her most valuable treasures up there.**

"Secrets," Annabeth grumbled, "they just keep adding up."

**She handed the box to him. He opened the lip with trembling fingers. Inside, cushioned in velvet lining, was a terrifying, life-altering, incredibly important... piece of wood.**

"All that build up, for that?" Conner asked.

"Disappointing," Travis frowned, "I wanted some magic fairy to pop out or something."

Will shook his head in astonishment. "You guys already knew what it was going to be!"

"Not all of us are as smart as you, Will." Travis muttered. "Don't be mean just because some people don't figure stuff out as fast as you do."

"Seriously?"

**It looked like driftwood - hard and smooth, sculpted into a wavy shape. It was about the size of a TV remote control. The tip was charred. Frank touched the burned end. It still felt warm. The ashes left a black smudge on his finger.**

**"It's a stick," he said. He couldn't figure out why Grandmother was acting so tense and serious about it.**

**Her eyes glittered. "Fai, do you know of prophecies? Do you know of the gods?"**

**The question made him uncomfortable. He thought about Grandmother's silly gold statues of CHinese immortals, her superstitions about putting furniture in certain places and avoiding unlucky numbers. Prophecies made him think of fortune cookies, which weren't even Chinese - not really - but the bullies at school teased him about stupid stuff like that: _Confucius say... _all that garbage. Frank had never even been to China. He wanted nothing to do with it. But of course, Grandmother didn't want to hear that.**

**"A little, Grandmother," he said. "Not much."**

**"Most would have scoffed at your mother's tale," she said, "But I did not. I know of prophecies and gods. Greek, Roman, Chinese - they all intertwine in our family. I did not question what she told me about your father."**

**"Wait... what?"**

"Yeah, she's being confusing."

"You've already had this explained to you."

"Really? I've never heard of gods before."

"Seriously? Dude! You're in a room with twelve of them!"

"Naw."

"He's just playing dumb, ignore him."

**"Your father was a god," she said plainly.**

**If Grandmother had had a sense of humor, Frank would have thought she was kidding. But Grandmother never teased. Was she going senile?**

**"Stop gaping at me!" she snapped. "My mind is not addled. Haven't you ever wondered why your father never came back?"**

**"He was..." Frank faltered. Losing his mother was painful enough. He didn't want to think about his father, too. "He was in the army, like Mom. He went missing in action. In Iraq."**

"Apollo? In a war?" Demeter questioned. "That doesn't sound like something he'd be doing."

"No, it doesn't." Artemis agreed, glaring at her twin.

Apollo smiled at the both of them.

**"Bah. He was a god. He fell in love with your mother because she was a natural warrior. She was like me - strong, brave, good, beautiful."**

**Strong and brave, Frank could believe. Picturing Grandmother as good or beautiful was more difficult.**

"Apollo normally doesn't go for girls like that either," Poseidon noted.

**He still suspected she might be losing her marbles, but he asked, "What kind of god?"**

**"Roman," she said. "Beyond that, I don't know. Your mother wouldn't say, or perhaps she didn't know herself. It is no surprise a god would fall in love with her, given our family. He might have known she was of ancient blood."**

**"Wait... we're Chinese. Why would Roman gods want to date Chinese Canadians?"**

"That's a good question."

**Grandmother's nostrils flared. "If you bothered to learn the family history, Fai, you might know this. China and Rome are not so different, nor as separate as you might believe. Our family is from Gansu Provice, a town called Li-Jien. And before that... as I said, ancient blood. The blood of princes and heroes."**

**Frank just stared at her.**

**She sighed in exasperation. "My words are wasted on this young ox! YOu will learn the truth when you go to camp. Perhaps your father will claim you. But for now, I must explain the firewood."**

**She pointed at the big fireplace. "Shortly after you were born, a visitor appeared at our hearth."**

"Hera."

"It was Juno!"

"Whatever."

**"Your mother and I sat here on the couch, just where you and I are sitting. You were a tiny thing, swaddled in a blue blanket,and she cradled you in her arms."**

**It sounded like a sweet memory, but Grandmother told it in a bitter tone, as if she knew, even then, that Frank would turn into a big lumbering oaf.**

**"A woman appeared at the fire," she continued. "She was a white woman - a _gwai poh - _"**

"What did she just call me?" Hera snapped.

"I thought she was talking about _Juno_." Poseidon asked. "She wasn't talking about you."

**dressed in blue silk, with a strange cloak like the skin of a goat."**

**"A goat," Frank said numbly.**

**Grandmother scowled. "Yes, clean you ears, Fai Zhang! I'm too old to tell every story twice! The woman with the goatskin was a goddess. I can always tell these things. She smiled at the baby - at you - and she told your mother, in perfect Mandarin, no less: 'He will close the circle. He will return your family to its roots and bring you great honor.'"**

**Grandmother snorted. "I do not argue with goddesses, but perhaps this one did not see the future clearly. Whatever the case, she said, 'He will go to camp and restore your reputation there. He will free Thanatos from his icy chains -"**

Hades scowled, "Thanatos. That's a big hint."

**"Wait, who?"**

**"Thanatos," Grandmother said impatiently. "The Greek name for Death. Now may I continue without interruptions? The goddess said, 'The blood of Pylos is strong in this child from his mother's side. He will have the Zhang family gift, but he will also have the powers of his father."**

"Wow," Clarisse muttered, "that sounds impressive, whatever that even means."

**Suddenly Frank's family history didn't seem so boring. HE desperately wanted to ask what it all meant - powers, gifts, blood of Pylos. What was this camp, and who was his father? But he didn't want to interrupt Grandmother again. He wanted her to keep talking.**

**"No power comes without a price, Fai," she said. "Before the goddess disappeared, she pointed at the fire and said, 'He will be the strongest of your clan, and the greatest. But the Fates have declared that he will be the most vulnerable. His life will burn bright and short. As soon as that piece of tinder is consumed - that stick at the edge of the fire - you son is destined to die."**

"Alright," Annabeth said, "that was sudden."

**Frank could hardly breathe. He looked at the box in his lap, and the smudge of ash on his finger. They story sounded ridiculous, but suddenly the piece of driftwood seem more sinister, colder and heavier. "This... this -"**

**"Yes, my thick-headed ox," Grandmother said. "That is the very stick. The goddess disappeared, and I snatched the wood from the fire immediately. We have kept it ever since."**

**"If it burns, I die?"**

**"It isn't so strange," Grandmother said. "Roman, Chinese - the destinies of men can often be predicted, and sometimes guarded against, at least for a time. The firewood is in your possession now. Keep it close. As long as it is safe, you are safe."**

"So, even if he gets shot or stabbed, he won't die because the stick is alright?"

**Frank shook his head. He wanted to protest that this was just a stupid legend. Maybe Grandmother was trying to scare him as some sort of revenge for breaking her porcelain.**

**But her eyes were defiant. She seemed to be challenging Frank: _If you do not believe it, burn it._**

"She's a cruel lady."

**Frank closed the box. "If it's so dangerous, why not steal the wood in something that won't burn, like plastic or steel? Why not put it in a safe deposit box?"**

**"What would happen," Grandmother wondered, "if we coated the stick in another substance. Would you, too, suffocate? I do not know. Your mother would not take the risk. She couldn't bear to part with it, for fear something would go wrong. Banks can be robbed. Buildings can burn down. Strange things conspire when one tries to cheat fate. Your mother thought the stick was only safe in her possession, until she went to war. Then she gave it to me."**

**Grandmother exhaled sourly. "Emily was foolish, going to war, though I supposed I always knew it was her destiny. She hoped to meet your father again."**

**"She thought... she thought he'd be in Afghanistan?"**

**Grandmother spread her hands, as if this was beyond her understanding. "She went. She died bravely. She thought the family gift would protect her. No doubt that's how she saved those soldiers. But the gift has never kept our family safe. It did not help my father, or _his _father. It did not help me. And now you have become a man. YOu must follow the path."**

**"But... what path? What's our gift - archery?"**

"Yeah," Percy said, "your mom thought she could survive the war with archery."

**"You and your archery! Foolish boy. Soon you will find out. Tonight, after the funeral, you must go south. Your mother said if she did not come back from combat, Lupa would send messengers. They will escort you to a place where the children of the gods can be trained for their destiny."**

**Frank felt as if he were being shot with arrows, his heart splitting into porcelain shards. He didn't understand most of what Grandmother said, but one thing was clear: she was kicking him out.**

"Pretty much."

**"You'd just let me go?" he asked. "Your last family?"**

**Grandmother's mouth quivered. Her eyes looked moist. Frank was shocked to realize she was near tears. She'd lost her husband years ago, then her daughter, and now she was about to send away her only grandson. But she rose from the couch and stood tall, her posture as stiff and correct as ever.**

**"When you arrive at camp," she instructed, "you must speak to the praetor in private. Tell her your great-grandfather was Shen Lun. It has been many years since the San Francisco incident. Hopefully they will not kill you for what he did, but you might want to beg forgiveness for his actions."**

**"This is sounding better and better," Frank mumbled.**

**"The goddess said you would bring our family full circle." Grandmother's voice had no trace of sympathy. "She chose your path years ago, and it will not be easy. But now it is time for the funeral. We have obligations. Come. The car will be waiting."**

**The ceremony was a blue: solemn faces, the patter of rain on the graveside awning, the crack of rifles from the honor guard, the casket sinking into the earth.**

Silena sniffed. "That so sad."

**That night, the wolves came.**

"And that's even worse," Nico added.

**They howled on the porch. Frank came out to meet them. He took his travel pack, his warmest clothes, his bow and his quiver. His mother's sacrifice medal was tucked in his pack. THe charred stick was wrapped carefully in three layers of cloth in his coat pocket, next to his heart.**

**His journey south began - to the Wolf House in Sonoma, and eventually to Camp Jupiter, where he spoke to Reyna privately as Grandmother had instructed. He begged forgiveness for the great-grandfather he knew nothing about. Reyna let him join the legion. She never did tell him what his great-grandfather had done, but she obviously knew. Frank could tell it was bad.**

"Well that sucks," Piper said.

**"I judge people by their own merits," Reyna had told him. "But do not mention the name Shen Lun to anyone else. It maybe remain our secret, or you'll be treated badly."**

"Likes he's not being treated badly already?" Ares asked.

**Unfortunately, Frank didn't have any merits. His first month at camp was spent knocking over rows of weapons, breaking chariots, and tripping entire cohorts as they marched. His favorite job was caring for Hannibal the elephant, but he'd managed to mess that up, too - giving Hannibal indigestion by feeding him peanuts. Who knew elephants could be peanut-intolerant? Frank figured Reyna was regretting her decision to let him join.**

"He makes it hard not to..."

**Every day, he woke up wondered if the stick would somehow catch fire and burn, and he would cease to exist.**

**All of this ran through Frank's head as he walked with Hazel and Percy to the war games. He thought about the stick wrapped inside his coat pocket, and what it meant that Juno had appeared at camp. Was he about to die? He hoped not. He hadn't brought his family any honor yet - that was for sure. Maybe Apollo would claim him today and explain his powers and gifts.**

"I don't think his father is Apollo," Annabeth said. "Apollo isn't the type to go into war."

"He's a more, peace loving god," Thalia agreed. "War is something that is more in Ares's category."

**Once they got out of camp, the Fifth Cohort formed two lines behind their centurions, Dakota and Gwen. They marched north, skirting the edge of the city, and headed to the Field of Mares - the largest, flattest part of the valley. The grass was cropped short by all the unicorns, bulls, and homeless fauns that gazed here. The earth was pitted with explosion craters and scattered with trenches from past games. At the north end of the field stood their target. The engineers had built a stone fortress with an iron portcullis, guard towers, scorpion ballistae, water cannons, and no doubt many other nasty surprises for the defenders to use.**

"Sounds like fun," Clarisse muttered.

**"They did a good job today," Hazel noted. "That's bad for us."**

**"Wait," Percy said. "You're telling me that fortress was built _today_?"**

"It sounded like it," Annabeth said.

"But that crazy," Beckendorf said. "No one could do that."

**Hazel grinned. "Legionnaires are trained to build. If we had to, we could break down the entire camp and rebuild it somewhere else. Take maybe three or four days, but we could do it."**

"That's insane," Rachel said.

"I want them to teach me some of their secrets." Leo smiled. "That would be awesome!"

**"Let's not," Percy said. "So you attack a different fort ever night?"**

**"Not ever night," Frank said. "We have different training exercises. Sometimes deathball - um, which is like paintball, except with... you know, poison and acid and fire balls. Sometimes we do chariots and gladiator competitions, sometimes war games."**

"Deathball," Sally said the word slowly. "That's so dangerous! Do they want to kill people before they even get to fight a _real _monster?"

**Hazel pointed at the flag. "Somewhere inside, the First and Second Cohorts are keeping their banners. Out job is to get inside and capture them without getting slaughtered. We do that, we win."**

**Percy's eyes lit up. "Like capture-the-flag. I think I like capture-the-flag."**

"He remembered that," Grover rolled his eyes.

**Frank laughed. "Yeah, well.. it's harder than it sounds. We have to get past those scorpions and water cannon on the walls, fight through the inside of the fortress, find the banners, and defeat the guards, all while protecting our own banners and troops from capture. And _our _cohort is in competition with the other two attacking cohorts. We sort of work together, but not really. The cohort that captures the banners gets all the glory."**

**Percy stumbled, trying to keep time with the left-right marching rhythm. Frank sympathized. He'd spent his first two weeks falling down.**

**"So why are we practicing this, anyway?" Percy asked. "Do you guys spend a lot of time laying siege to fortified cities?"**

"Bad joke."

**"Teamwork," Hazel said. "Quick thinking. Tactics. Battle skills. You'd be surprised what you can learn in the war games."**

**"Like who will stab you in the back," Frank said.**

**"Especially that," Hazel agreed.**

"Percy's going to kick butt at this," Silena said, "he has always been great at capture-the-flag."

"If you're good at combat, you're good at capture-the-flag." Thalia said.

**They marched to the center of the Field of Mars and formed ranks. The Third and Fourth Cohorts assembled as far as possible from Fifth. The centurions for the attacking side gathered for a conference. In the sky above them, Reyna circled on her pegasus, Scipio, ready to play referee.**

**Half a dozen giant eagles flew in formation behind her - prepared for ambulance airlift duty if necessary. The only person not participating i the games was Nico di Angelo, "Pluto's ambassador," who had climbed an observation tower about a hundred yards from the fort and would be watching with binoculars.**

"Stalker."

**Frank propped his _pilum _against his shield and checked Percy's armor. Every strap was correct. Every piece of armor was properly adjusted.**

"Well he's done it about a thousand times before."

**"You did it right," he said in amazement. "Percy, you must've done war games before."**

**"I don't know. Maybe."**

**The only thing that wasn't regulation was Percy's glowing bronze sword - not Imperial gold, and not a _gladius. _The blade was leaf-shaped, and the writing on the hilt was in Greek. Looking at it made Frank uneasy.**

**Percy frowned. "We _can _use real weapons, right?"**

"Duh."

**"Yeah," Frank agreed. "For sure. I've just never seen a sword like that."**

**"What if I hurt somebody?"**

"It's not like you've never hurt anyone before," Luke snapped.

**"We heal them," Frank said. "Or try to. The legion medics are pretty good with ambrosia and nectar, and unicorn draught."**

**"No one dies," Hazel said. "Well, not usually. And if they do -"**

**Frank imitated the voice of Vitellius: "They're wimps! Back in my day, we died all the time, and we liked it!"**

"For some reason, I doubt it." Nico muttered.

**Hazel laughed. "Just stay with us, Percy. Chances are we'll get the worst duty and get eliminated early. They'll throw us at the walls to soften up the defenses. Then the Third and Fourth Cohorts will march in and get the honors, _if _they can even breach the fort."**

**Horns blew. Dakota and Gwen walked back from the officers' conference, looking grim.**

**"All right, here's the plan!" Dakota took a quick swig of Kool-Aid from his travel flask. "They're throwing us at the walls first to soften up the defenses."**

"It's like she's done this before."

**The whole cohort groaned.**

**"I know, I know," Gwen said. "But maybe this time we'll heave some luck!"**

**Leave it to Gwen to be the optimist. Everybody liked her because she took care of her people and tried to keep their spirits up. She could even control Dakota during his hyperactive bug-juice fits. Still, the campers grumbled and complained. Nobody believed in luck for the Fifth.**

"They are depressing," Conner said.

**"First line with Dakota," Gwen said. "Lock shields and advance in turtle formation to the main gates. Try to stay in one piece. Draw their fire. Second line -" Gwen turned to Frank's row without much enthusiasm. "You seventeen, from Bobby over, take charge of the elephant and the scaling ladders. Try a flanking attack on the western wall. Maybe we can spread the defenders too thin. Frank, Hazel, Percy... well, just do whatever. She Percy the ropes. Try to keep him alive." She turned back to the whole cohort. "If anybody gets over the wall first, I'll make sure you get the Mural Crown. Victory for the Fifth!"**

**The cohort cheered halfheartedly and broke ranks.**

**Percy frowned. "Do whatever?"**

**"Yeah, Hazel sighed. "Big vote of confidence."**

"I know how that feels," Leo muttered.

Jason slapped his friend on the back. "Shut up, dude. You know that's not true."

**"What's the Mural Crown?" he asked.**

**"Military medal," Frank said. He'd been forced to memorize all the possible awards. "Big honor for the first soldier to breach an enemy fort. You'll notice nobody in the Fifth is wearing one. Usually we don't even get into the fort because we're burning, or downing, or..."**

**He faltered, and looked at Percy. "Water cannons."**

"Water cannons?" Tyson asked.

"Water cannons," Grover confirmed.

"Water cannons!" Tyson cheered.

"That was weird," Piper whispered to Jason.

**"What?" Percy asked.**

**"The cannons on the walls," Frank said, "They draw water from the aqueduct. There's a pump system - heck, I don't know how they word, but they're under and lot of pressure. If you could control the, like you controlled the river -"**

**"Frank!" Hazel beamed. "That's brilliant!"**

"I'm surprised Percy didn't think of that himself," Sally said, "normally anything that has to do with water that's the only thing he can focus on."

**Percy didn't look so sure. "I don't know how I did that thing with the river. I'm not sure I can control the cannons from this far away."**

**"We'll get you closer." Frank pointed to the eastern wall of the fort, where the Fifth Cohort wouldn't be attacking. "That's where the defense will be weakest. They'll never take three kids seriously. I think we can sneak up pretty close before they see us."**

"Smart."

**"Sneak up how?" Percy asked.**

**Frank turned to Hazel. "Can you do that thing again?"**

**She punched him in the chest. "You said you wouldn't tell anybody!"**

"What are they talking about?" Percy asked.

**Immediately, Frank felt terrible. He'd gotten so caught up in the idea...**

**Hazel muttered something under her breath. "Never mind. It's fine. Percy, he's talking about the trenches. The Field of Mars is riddled with tunnels from over the years. Some are collapsed or buried deep, but a lot of them are still passible. I'm pretty good at finding them and using them. I can even collapse them if I have to."**

**"Like you did with the gorgons," Percy said, "to slow them down."**

**Frank nodded approvingly. **

"So they are going to travel underground?" Rachel asked.

"It's a good idea," Annabeth said.

**"I told you Pluto was cool. He's the god of everything under the earth. Hazel can find caves, tunnels, trapdoors -"**

**"And it was _our _secret," she grumbled.**

**Frank felt himself blushing. "Yeah, sorry. But if we can get close -"**

**"And if I can knock out the water cannons..." Percy nodded, like he was warming up to the idea. "What do we do then?"**

**Frank checked his quiver. He always stocked up on special arrows. He'd never gotten to use them before, but maybe tonight was the night. Maybe he could finally do something good enough to get Apollo's attention.**

**"The rest is up to me," he said. "Let's go."**

"You're reading next," Ares tossed the book to Apollo.

"What? Why?" Apollo asked, a little stunned.

"Because, it's your turn. Now read."

"Fine, you jerk."

**END OF FRANK 10**

**The was the longest chapter ever!**


	12. Frank 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**FRANK 11**

**Frank had never felt so sure of anything, which made him nervous.**

"Really?" Apollo said. "That's depressing."

**Nothing he planned ever went right. He always managed to break, ruin, burn, sit on, or knock over something important. Yet he _know _this strategy would work.**

**Hazel found them a tunnel with no problem. In fact, Frank had a sneaking suspicion she didn't just _find _tunnels. It was as though tunnels manufactured themselves to suit their needs. Passages that had been filled in years ago suddenly un-filled, changing direction to lead Hazel where she wanted to go.**

"The perks of being a child of Pluto," Nico said.

"You're the child of Hades," Annabeth pointed out.

"Same thing."

**They crept along by the light of Percy's glowing sword, Riptide. Above, they heard they heard the sounds of battle - kids shouting, Hannibal the elephant bellowing with glee, scorpion bolts exploding, and water cannons firing. The tunnel shook. Dirt rained down on them.**

"That sounds horrible." Grover quivered.

**Frank slipped his hand inside his armor. The piece of wood was still safe and secure in his coat pocket, though one good shot from a scorpion might set his lifeline on fire...**

**Bad Frank, he chided himself. _Fire _is the "F-word." Don't think about it.**

"That's a good way to keep yourself from thinking of that."

**"There's an opening just ahead," Hazel announced. "We'll come up ten feet from the east wall."**

**"How can you tell?" Percy asked.  
**

**"I don't know," she said. "But I'm sure."**

**"Could we tunnel straight under the wall?" Frank wondered.**

**"No," Hazel said. "The engineers were smart. They built the walls on old foundations that go down to bedrock. And don't ask how I know. I just do."**

"She's _is _pretty awesome under ground." Percy muttered.

**Frank stumbled over something and cursed. Percy brought his sword around for more light. The thing Frank had slipped on was gleaming silver.**

**He crouched down.**

**"Don't touch it!" Hazel said.**

**Frank's hand slipped a few inches from the chunk of metal. It looked like a giant Hershey's Kiss, about the size of his fist.**

Conner groaned. "If only it wasn't cursed!"

**"It's massive," he said.**

"That's what she said."

**"Silver?"**

**"Platinum." Hazel sounded scared out of her wits. "It'll go away in a second. Please don't touch it. It's dangerous."**

**Frank didn't understand how a lump of metal could be dangerous, but he took Hazel seriously. As they watched, the chunk of platinum sank into the ground.**

**He stared at Hazel. "How did you know?"**

**In the light of Percy's sword, Hazel looked ghostly as a Lar. "I'll explain later," she promised.**

"That's going to be entertaining," Zeus rolled his eyes.

**Another explosion rocked the tunnel, and they forged ahead.**

**They popped out of a hole where Hazel had predicted. In front of them, the fort's east wall loomed. Off to their left, Frank could see the main line of the Fifth Cohort advancing in turtle formation, shields forming a shell over their heads and sides. They were trying to reach the main gates, but the defenders above pelted them with rocks and shot flaming bolts from the scorpions, blasting craters around their feet. A water cannon discharged with a jaw-rattling _THRUM, _and a jet of liquid carved a trench in the dirt right in front of the cohort.**

**Percy whistled. "That's a lot of pressure, all right."**

"That can cut a person in half," Poseidon noted.

"Who knew water could be so powerful," Hades wondered.

"Shut up," Poseidon glared.

**The Third and Fourth Cohorts weren't even advancing. They stood back and laughed, watching their "allies" get beat up. The defenders clustered on the wall above the gates, yelling insults at the tortoise formation as it staggered back and forth. War games had deteriorated into "beat up the Fifth."**

"Jeez, they are mean." Aphrodite frowned.

**Frank's vision went red with anger.**

**"Let's shake things up." He reached in his quiver and pulled out an arrow heavier than the rest. The iron tip was shaped like the nose cone of a rocket. An ulrathin gold rope trailed from the fetching. Shooting it accurately up the wall would take more forced and skill than most archers could manage, but Frank had strong arms and a good aim.**

**Maybe Apollo is watching, he thought hopefully.**

"I'm kinda reading it," Apollo said, "so, yeah. I guess I'm watching."

**"What does that do?" Percy asked. "Grappling hook?"**

**"It's called a hydra arrow," Frank said. "Can you knock out the water cannons?"**

**A defender appeared on the wall above them. "Hey!" he shouted to his buddies. "Check it out! More victims!"**

**"Percy," Frank said, "now would be good."**

**More kids came across the battlements to laugh at them. A few ran to the nearest water cannon and swung the barrel toward Frank.**

"Oh, crap."

**Percy closed his eyes. He raised his hand.**

**Up on the wall, somebody yelled, "Open wide, losers!"**

_**KA-BOOM!**_

"Nice!" Thalia cheered

**The cannon exploded in starburst of blue, green, and white. Defenders screamed as a watery shockwave flattened them against the battlements. Kids toppled over the walls but were snatched by giant eagles and carried to safety. Then the entire eastern wall shuddered as the explosion back up through the pipelines. One after another, the water cannons on the battlements exploded. The scorpions' fire were doused. Defenders scattered in confusion or were tossed through the air, giving the rescue eagles quite a workout. At the main gates, the Fifth Cohort forgot about their formation. Mystified, they lowered their shields and stared at the chaos.**

"Good one," Poseidon smiled proudly.

Paul looked stunned. "Remind me to never make that kid mad."

Sally laughed.

**Frank shot his arrow. It streaked upward, carrying its glittering rope. When it reached the top, the metal point factored into a dozen lines that lashed out and wrapped around anything they could find - parts of the wall, a scorpion, a broken water cannon, and a couple of defending campers, who yelped and found themselves slammed against the battlements as anchors. From the main rope, handholds extended at two-foot intervals, making a ladder.**

"That's a awesome arrow!" Will smiled, his eyes lit up. "Can I have one Dad? Please!"

"Maybe, for your birthday." Apollo smirked.

**"Go!" Frank said. **

**Percy grinned. "You first, Frank. This is your party."**

**Frank hesitated. Then he slung his bow on his back and began to climb. He was halfway up before the defenders recovered their senses enough to sound the alarm.**

**Frank glanced back at Fifth Cohort's main group. They were staring up at him, dumbfounded.**

"That's going to be an great boost for the Fifth," Jason said.

**"Well?" Frank screamed. "Attack!"**

**Gwen was the first to unfreeze. She grinned and repeated the order. A cheer went up from the battlefield. Hannibal the elephant trumpeted with happiness, but Frank couldn't afford to watch. He clambered to the top of the wall, where three defenders were trying to hack down his rope ladder.**

"Oh crap."

**One good thing about being big, clumsy, and clad in metal: Frank was like a heavily armored bowling ball. He launched himself at the defenders, and they toppled like pins. Frank got to his feet. He took command of the battlements, sweeping his _pilum _back and forth and knocking down defenders. Some shot arrows. Some tried to get under his guard with their swords, but Frank felt unstoppable. Then Hazel appeared next to him, swinging her big cavalry sword like she was born for battle.**

**Percy leaped onto the wall and raised Riptide.**

**"Fun," he said.**

"That's scary," Leo grimaced. "He's like a mass murder at a girl's sleepover party."

"You're scary for thinking of that," Piper grimaced.

**Together they cleared the defenders off the walls. Below them the gates broke. Hannibal barreled into the fort, arrows and rock bouncing harmlessly off his Kevlar armor.**

**The Fifth Cohort charged in behind the elephant, and the battle went hand-to-hand.**

"Those are the best kind of battles." Ares muttered.

**Finally, from the edge of the Field of Mars, a battle cry went up. The Third and Fourth Cohorts ran to join the fight. **

**"A little late," Hazel grumbled.**

**"We can't let them get the banners," Frank said.**

**"No," Percy agreed. "Those are ours."**

**No more talk was necessary. They moved like a team, as if the three of them had been working together for years. They rushed down the interior steps and into the enemy base.**

"That's the end," Apollo said, "who's -"

"I will," Artemis snatched the book from Apollo.

Apollo pouted, "you didn't even let me finish my question."

"Sorry," Artemis pretended to sound sincere.

**END OF FRANK 11**

**I'm sorry if this is the only update for Monday. But I will be going out of town on Monday, and I don't know when I will be getting back. I don't know if it will be a week, two weeks, or what. And I don't think I can update while I'm gone. **

**Sorry, if I won't be able to update. I know I have to leave at the best chapters... but I don't have much of a choice.**

**And I'm starting to get sad because summer is almost halfway over. :(**

**I'm just going to go and cry in the corner and watch anime.**


	13. Frank 12

**I went swimming today... and now my head hurts... ;_;**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**FRANK 12**

**After that, the battle was mayhem.**

"Of course I get this chapter," Artemis rolled her eyes, "I though Ares liked the chapters with violence."

"I do!" Ares said. "But I thought you would like it more. Wouldn't you?"

"Not really."

"Oh."

**Frank, Percy, and Hazel waded through the enemy, plowing down anything who stood in their way. The First and Second Cohorts - ride of Camp Jupiter, a well-oiled, highly disciplined war machine - fell apart under the assault and the sheer novelty of being on the losing side.**

"Serves them right." Piper smiled.

**Part of their problem was Percy. He fought like a demon, whirling through the defenders' ranks in a completely unorthodox style, rolling under their feet, slashing with his sword instead of stabbing like a Roman would, whacking campers with the flat of his blade, and generally causing mass panic.**

"That guy is as good as everyone says he is," Leo observed. "I _really _want to meet him."

"We know," Piper rolled her eyes.

"Well, he might just be good because the Romans don't know how to fight the Greeks style, they weren't trained to fight it. So he has an unfair advantage."

"Stop making excuses," Leo wrapped his arm around his friend, "just admit that Percy Jackson is kicking your camp's ass."

Jason rolled his eyes, obviously a little annoyed. "Whatever."

**Octavian screamed in a shrill voice - maybe ordering the First Cohort to stand their ground, maybe trying to sing soprano - but Percy put a stop to it. He somersaulted over a line of shields and slammed the butt of his sword into Octavian's helmet. The centurion collapsed like a sock puppet.**

"I'll give him that," Jason grumbled.

**Frank shot arrows until his quiver was empty, using bluntipped missiles that wouldn't ill but left some nasty bruises. He broke his _pilum _over a defender's head, the reluctantly drew his _gladius._**

**Meanwhile, Hazel climbed onto Hannibal's back. She charged toward the center of the fort, grinning down at her friends. "Let's go, slowpokes!"**

**Gods of Olympus, she's beautiful, Frank thought.**

"That's cute," Silena smiled.

**They ran to the center of the base. The inner keep was virtually unguarded. Obviously the defenders never dreamed an assault would get this far. Hannibal busted down the huge doors. Inside, the First and Second Cohort standard-bearers were sitting around a table playing Mythomagic with cards and figurines. The cohort's emblems were propped carelessly against one wall.**

**Hazel and Hannibal rode straight into the room, and the standard-bearers fell backward out of their chairs. Hannibal stepped on the table, and game pieces scattered.**

"That's rude," Hermes said, "breaking up their game like that."

"That's what they get for being cocky," Poseidon said.

**By the time the rest of the cohort caught up with them, Percy and Frank had disarmed the enemies, grabbed the banners, and climbed onto Hannibal's back with Hazel. They marched out of the keep triumphantly with the enemy colors.**

**The Fifth Cohort formed ranks around them. Together the paraded out of the fort, past stunned enemies and lines of equally mystified allies.**

**Reyna circled low overhead on her pegasus. "The game is won!" She sounded as if she were trying not to laugh. "Assemble for honors!"**

Most people cheered and high-fived.

Luke rolled his eyes.

"What?" Thalia asked him. "You mad because Percy did something awesome again and you didn't?"

Luke glared at her. "I actually don't care what he does."

"Sure, that why you pout every time someone compliments him."

"Will you just shut up?"

**Slowly the campers regrouped on the Field of Mars. Frank saw plenty of minor injuries - some burns, broken bones, black eyes, cuts and gashes, ply a slot of very interesting hairdos from fires and exploding water cannons - but nothing that couldn't be fixed.**

**He slid off the elephant. His comrades swarmed him, pounding him on the back and complimenting him. Frank wondered if he was dreaming. It was the best night of his life - until he saw Gwen.**

**"Help!" Somebody yelled. A couple of campers rushed out of the fortress, carrying a girl on the stretcher. They set her down, and other kids started running over. Even from a distance, Frank could tell it was Gwen. she was in bad shape. She lay on her side on the stretcher with a _pilum _sticking out of her armor - almost like she was holding it between her chest and arm, but there was too much blood.**

"Oh, no." Sally gasped. "Who would do that to her?"

Jason looked - literally - stormy. His eyes flashed and his hair seemed to spark with electricity.

"She can't die," Jason muttered, "I've known her my entire life. She can't just die because of the games!"

Piper stroked his arm. "Maybe they can save her."

**Frank shook his head in disbelief. "No, no, no..." he muttered as he ran to her side.**

**The medics barked at everyone to stand back and give her air. The whole legion fell silent as the healers worked - trying to get gauze and powdered unicorn under Gwen's armor to stop the bleeding, trying to force some nectar into her mouth. Gwen didn't move. Her face was ashen gray.**

**Finally one of the medics looked up at Reyna and shook his head.**

Jason groaned and covered his face with his hands.

Piper wasn't sure what to do. She's never seen Jason grieve before. She wasn't sure if he wanted her to comfort him, or if he would just get more agitated if someone bothered him. So she just laid her hand on his back, trying to show him that she was here for him, while still giving him space.

"She can't die," he grumbled after he took his hand away from his face. "She was always with me, all throughout my time in the Fifth."

"I'm sorry, Jason." Thalia almost whispered, but Jason heard her. He gave her a thankful look.

**For a moment, there was no sound except water from the ruined cannons trickling down the walls of the fort. Hannibal nuzzled Gwen's hair with his trunk.**

**Reyna surveyed the campers from her pegasus. Her expression was as hard and dark as iron. "There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but _this_..."**

**Frank wasn't sure what she meant. Then he noticed the marks engraved on the wooden shaft of the _pilum: CHT I LEGIO XII F. _  
**

"The First Cohort," Jason growled. "Someone from the First Cohort did that to her."

"Someone didn't want to lose to the Fifth," Percy muttered.

**The weapon belonged to the First Cohort, and the point was sticking out the front of her armor. Gwen had been speared from behind - possibly _after _the game had ended.**

"That's cowardly," Beckendorf. "Stabbing someone in the back, not even having the nerve to look they victim in the face."

**Frank scanned the crowd for Octavian. The centurion was watching with more interest than concern, as if he were examining one of his stupid gutted teddy bears. He didn't have a _pilum. _**

"He did it!" Leo shouted. "We have to kill him!"

"There isn't enough proof," Sally told him.

"Still! We can kill him for being a douche!"

**Blood roared in Frank's ears. He wanted to strangle Octavian with his bare hands, but at that moment, Gwen gasped.**

"What?"

"The Walking Dead is coming true!"

"Run!"

"Get the chainsaw!"

**Everyone stepped back. Gwen opened her eyes. The color came back to her face.**

**"Wh-what is it?" She blinked. "What everyone staring at?"**

"Hades! You have one job." Zeus glared at his brother. "To just keep the dead, dead. Now you can't even do that -"

"Thanatos is captured," Hades grumbled, "might I remind you that? And I'm suck here, if you haven't noticed. So it's not like I can keep them from leaving."

**She didn't seem to notice the seven-foot harpoon sticking out through her chest.**

**Behind Frank, a medic whispered, "There's no way. She was dead. She _has _to be dead."**

**Gwen tried to sit up, but couldn't.**

**"There was a river, and a man asking... for a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open. So I just...I just left. I don't understand. What's happened?"**

"The Walking Dead!"

**Everyone stared at her in horror. Nobody tried to help.**

**"Gwen." Frank knelt next to her. "Don't try to get up. Just close your eyes for a second, okay?"**

**"Why? What -"**

**"Just trust me."**

**Gwen did what she was asked.**

**Frank grabbed the shaft of the _pilum _below it's top, but his hands were shaking. The wood was slick. "Percy, Hazel - help me."**

"I can't believe she's alive," Jason said. "Thank gods she's not."

**One of the medics realized what he was planning. "Don't!" he said. "You might -"**

**"What?" Hazel snapped. "Make it worse?"**

**Frank took a deep breath. "Hold her steady. One, two, three!"**

**He pulled the _pilum _out of Gwen. She didn't even wince. The blood stopped quickly.**

**Hazel bent down to examine the wound. "It's closing on its own," she said. "I don't know how, but -"**

"Don't tell me you're healing her too," Zeus grumbled.

"Why would I do that?" Hades asked.

**"I feel fine," Gwen protested. "What's everyone worried about?"**

**With Frank and Percy's help, she got to her feet. Frank glowered at Octavian, but the centurions face was a mask of polite concern.**

"That dick," Beckendorf grumbled.

_**Later, **_**Frank thought. _Deal with him later._**

**"Gwen," Hazel said gently, "there's no easy way to say this. You were dead. Somehow you came back."**

**"I... what?" **

"Yeah, that's not supposed to happen."

**She stumbled against Frank. Her hand pressed against the ragged hole in her armor. "How - how?"**

**"Good question." Reyna turned to Nico, who was watching grimly from the edge of the crowd. "Is this some power of Pluto?"**

**Nico shook his head. "Pluto never lets people return from the dead."**

"See?" Hades glared at Zeus. "I never let anyone come back from the dead."

"Nico said that _Pluto _never lets anyone come back," Poseidon pointed out, "he didn't say anything about _Hades._"

Hades scowled.

"What?" Poseidon raised his eyebrows. "That _is _what he said, just pointing that out."

**He glanced at Hazel as if warning her to stay quiet.**

"Really?" Percy asked Nico. "Even Frank understood what you were doing."

"Just shut up," Nico muttered.

**Frank wondered what that was about, but he didn't have time to think about it.**

**A thunderous voice rolled across the field: _Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning._**

"Don't tell me it's Zeus," Annabeth said, "that's the last thing that they need."

"It wouldn't be Zeus," Jason corrected the daughter of Athena, "it would be Jupiter. But I also doubt that he would ever show up at camp."

"Fine," Annabeth crossed her arms, "correct me."

"I did," Jason said slowly.

**Campers drew weapons. Hannibal trumpeted nervously. Scipio reared, almost throwing Reyna.**

**"I know that voice," Percy said.**

"How would he know?"

**He didn't sound pleased.**

**In the midst of the legion, a column of fire blasted into the air. Heat seared Frank's eyelashes. Campers who had been soaked by the cannons found their clothes instantly steam dried. Every scrambled backward as a huge soldier stepped out of the explosion.**

"Why are you there Ares?" Aphrodite asked the god next to her.

"I don't know," Ares said, "it's Mars, not me."

**Frank didn't have much hair, but what he _did _have stood straight up. The soldier was ten feet tall, dressed in Canadian Forces desert camouflage. He radiated confidence and power. His black hair was cut in a flat-topped wedge like Frank's. His face was angular and brutal, marked with old knife scars. His eyes were covered with infrared goggles that glowed from inside. He wore a utility belt with a sidearm, a knife holster, and several grenades. In his hands was an oversized M16 rifle.**

"That is horrible style," Aphrodite said. "Those goggles are horrible."

"The goggles are _cool_." Ares protested.

"Then why don't you ware them as Ares?" Rachel asked. "Why is Mars the only one who wares them?"

"Mars gets mad when I try to take his ideas." Ares grumbled. "And I don't ware stuff from other countries."

"Okay...?" Paul mumbled.

**The worst thing was that Frank felt _drawn _to him. As everyone else stepped back, Frank stepped forward. He realized the soldier was willing him to approach.**

**Frank desperately wanted to run away and hide, but he couldn't. He took three more steps. Then he sank to one knee.**

"That's not normal." Annabeth said.

**The other campers followed his example and knelt. Even Reyna dismounted. **

**"That's good," the soldier said. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."**

**Frank noticed that the one person that wasn't kneeling. Percy Jackson, his sword still in his hand, was glaring at the giant soldier.**

"What's he doing?" Grover asked.

"Trying to get himself killed," Ares muttered.

"What?" Sally asked. "Percy isn't that defiant, is he?"

Poseidon sighed, "he better not be."

**"You're Ares," Percy said. "What do you want?"**

"Even I'm not that stupid," Traitor Percy pointed out.

"I wish you were," Annabeth grumbled, "it would have been way easier to defeat you."

**A collective gasp went up from two hundred campers and an elephant. Frank wanted to say something to excuse Percy and placate the god, but he didn't know what. He was afraid the war god would blast his new friend with that extra-large M16.**

"I hope he does," Ares smiled.

"Ares!" Aphrodite hit him. "Don't talk like that in front of his mother." Her hair had turned black and her eyes were getting darker.

"But I can talk like that in front of Poseidon?" Ares asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Ares," Poseidon growled, "don't threaten my son. Or you'll regret it."

**Instead, the god bared his brilliant white teeth.**

**"You've got spunk, demigod," he said. "Ares is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars - the patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus."**

"Did he rape Romulus and Remus's mother?" Annabeth said.

"Well that's noble," Paul scowled.

**"We've met," Percy said. "We... we had a fight..."**

"Yeah they did," Hermes smirked, "and Percy won."

Ares growled, "no he didn't."

"Yes," Poseidon said, "I think he did."

"I gave him that fight!"

"You did?" Athena laughed. "You never give _anyone _a fight."

"Well I didn't want to make Poseidon pissed off again."

"Really?" Poseidon raised his eyebrows. "That's why you didn't kill him?"

"Yes." Ares's face looked a little red. "That's why I gave him the fight."

"Alright," Poseidon smiled, "I'm glade you're so afraid of me, Ares."

"Shut up!"

**The god scratched his chin, as if trying to recall. "I fight a lot of people. But I assure you - you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now, kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience."**

**Around Mars's feet, the ground boiled in a circle of flame.**

**"Percy," Frank said, "please."**

"Yes," Sally looked clenched her hands, "kneel."

**Percy clearly didn't like it, but he knelt.**

"I guess he's not suicidal yet."

**Mars scanned the crows. "Romans, lend me your ears!"**

**He laughed - a good, hearty bellow, so infectious it almost made Frank smile, though he was still shivering with fear. "I've always wanted to say that. I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this exception, as you Romans have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen up."**

**He pointed at Gwen. "This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again."**

"I think we already know that," Leo grumbled.

**Was it Frank's imagination, or did the god glared at Nico di Angelo?"**

"Did he?" Travis asked Nico.

"I don't know," Nico grumbled, "It was a long time ago."

**"Thanatos has been chained," Mars announced. "The Doors of Death have been forced open, and no one if policing them - at least, not _impartially. _Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons the giants are mustering armies against you - armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only _he _can reverse the tide."**

**Mars looked around, and noticed that everyone was still silently kneeling. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?"**

"Smooth."

**Reyna rose uneasily. She approached the god, followed by Octavian, who was bowing and scraping like a champion groveler.**

**"Lord Mars," Reyna said, "we are honored."**

**"_Beyond_ honored," and Octavian. "So far beyond honored -"**

**"Well?" Mars snapped.**

**"Well," Reyna said, "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"**

**"Right," the god said.**

**"And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."**

**"Right."**

**"And therefore people will stop dying?"**

"Sounds like a good deal," Percy said, "never dying. You can be immortal."

**"Not all at once," Mars said. "But the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld - like you friend Centurion Shish kebab."**

"What?"

"That was a horrible joke."

"He should be ashamed."

**Gwen winced. "Centurion Shish kebab?"**

**"If left unchecked," Mars continued, "even mortal swill eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies - _ever_?"**

**Octavian raised his hand. "But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, if we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely -?"**

"Yeah," Percy said, "as stupid as that guy is he has the right idea."

"More like you both have the wrong idea," Athena said.

**"Don't be foolish boy!" Mars bellowed. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without and point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"**

**"You're the god of war," Percy spoke up. "Don't you want endless carnage?"**

Ares chuckled. "I would love that."

**Mars's infrared goggles glowed brighter. "Insolent, aren't you? Perhaps I _have _fought you before. I can understand why I'd want to kill you. I'm the god of Rome, child. I am the god of military might used for righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I don't fight without reason. I don't want war without end. You will discover this. You will serve me."**

"I doubt it," Poseidon said.

**"Not likely," Percy said.**

"Jeez you two are alike," Apollo noted, "it's almost terrifying."

**Again, Frank waited for the god to strike him down, but Mars just grinned like they were two buddies talking trash.**

**"I order a quest!" the god announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the giants. Beware Gaea! Beware her son, the eldest giants!"**

**Next to Frank, Hazel made a squeaking sound. "The land beyond the gods?"**

"She's acting like she knows what that is," Piper noticed.

**Mars stared down at her, his grip tightening on his M16. "That's right, Hazel Levesque. You know I mean. Everyone here remembers the land where the legion lost its honor! Perhaps if the quest succeeds, and you return by the Feast of Fortuna... perhaps then your honor will be restored. If you don't succeed, there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever. So my advice is: Don't fail."**

"Words of wisdom," Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure they would've guessed that."

**Octavian somehow managed to bow even lower. "Um, Lord Mars, just one tiny thing. A quest requires a prophecy, a mystical poem to guide us! We used to get them from the Sibylline books, but now it's up to the augur to glean the will of gods. So if I just run and get about seventy stuffed animals and possibly a knife..."**

**"You're the augur?" the god interrupted.**

"Surprising. Isn't it?"

**"Y-yes, my lord."**

**Mars pulled a scroll from his utility belt. "Anyone got a pen?"**

**The legionnaires stared at him.**

**Mars sighed. "Two hundred Romans, and _no one's _got a pen? Never mind!"**

"That actually _is _surprising," Sally said.

**He slung his M16 onto his back and pulled out a hand grenade. There were many screaming Romans. Then the grenade morphed into a ballpoint pen, and Mars began to write.**

**Frank looked at Percy with wide eyes. He mouthed: _Can your sword to grenade form?_**

The Stolls and Apollo, thought that was funny.

It took Artemis and Hermes to shut the three up.

**Percy mouthed back: _No. Shut up._**

**"There!" Mars finished writing and threw the scroll at Octavian. "A prophecy. You can add it to your books, engrave it on your floor, whatever."**

**Octavian read the scroll. "This says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sundown on June twenty-fourth or die."**

"I want prophecies like that," Grover whined, "so straight forward it doesn't make you get a headache."

**"Yes," Mars said. "Is that not clear?"**

**"Well, my lord... usually prophecies are _unclear. _They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and..."**

**Mars casually popped another grenade out of his belt. "Yes?"**

"That's why you need an oracle," Rachel scoffed, "just saying."

**"The prophecy is clear!" Octavian announced. "A quest!"**

**"Good answer." Mars tapped the grenade to his chin. "Now, what else? There was something else... Oh, yes."**

**He turned to Frank. "C'mere, kid."**

"Figures his father would be Mars," Artemis smirked at her twin, "Apollo could never handle a mortal war."

"Yes I could!" Apollo protested. "The war against Kronos was twenty times harder than any _mortal _war. And if I can handle that, I can handle everything."

Hermes laughed, "whatever dude."

**No, Frank thought. The burned stick in his coat pocket felt heavier. His legs turned wobbly. A sense of dread settled over hum, worse than the day the military officer had come to the door.**

**He knew what was coming, but he couldn't stop it. He stepped forward against his will.**

"Poor, kid."

**Mars grinned. "Nice job taking the wall, kid. Who's the ref for this game?"**

**Reyna raised her hand.**

**"You see the play, ref?" Mars demanded. "That was _my _kid. First over the wall, won the game for his team. Unless your blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind, are you?"**

**Reyna looked like she was trying to swallow a mouse. "No, Lord Mars."**

**"Then made sure he gets the Mural Crown," Mars demanded. "My kid, here!" he yelled at the legion, in case anyone hadn't heard. Frank wanted to melt into the dirt.**

"Well that's gotta suck," Clarrise grumbled, "I just got claimed the easy way. This guy gets to be humiliated in front of everyone."

**"Emily Zhang's son," Mars continued. "She was a good soldier. Good woman. This kid Frank proved his stuff tonight. Happy late birthday, kid. Time you stepped up to a _real _man's weapon."**

"What's wrong with a bow?" Will asked.

**He tossed Frank his M16. For a split second Frank thought he'd be crushed under the weight of the massive assault rifle, but the gun changed midair, becoming smaller and thinner. When Frank caught it, the weapons was a spear. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a strange point like a white bone, flickering with ghostly light.**

Clarisse growled, "why did _he _get the cool weapon?"

**"The tip is dragon's tooth," Mars said. "You haven't learned to use your mom's talents yet, have you? Well - that spear will give you breathing room until you do. You get three charges out of it, so use it wisely."**

**Frank didn't understand, but Mars acted like the matter was closed. "Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?"**

**Of course, no one said a word. But many of the campers glared at Frank with envy, jealousy, anger, bitterness.**

**"You can take two companions," Mars said. "Those are the rules. One of them need to be this kid."**

**He pointed at Percy. "He's gonna learn some respect for Mars on this trip, or die trying. As for the second, I don't care. Pick whomever you want. Have one of your senate debates. You all are good at those."**

"Another quest?" Sally said. "Can he get a break?"

"He'll be fine, Mrs. Jackson." Grover promised. "It's Percy he always makes it out fine."

"Brother will win!" Tyson smiled. "He always does! And he always will!"

"Thanks, boys." Sally smiled at them, but worry was filling her.

**The god's image flickered. Lightning crackled across the sky.**

**"That's my cue," Mars said. "Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me!"**

**The god erupted in flames, and then he was gone.**

**Reyna turned towards Frank. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea, like she'd finally managed to swallow that mouse. She raised her arm in a Roman salute. "_Ave, _Frank Zhang, son of Mars."**

**The while legion followed her lead, but Frank didn't want their attention anymore. His perfect night had been ruined.**

**Mars was his father. The god of war was sending him to Alaska. Frank had been handed more than a spear for his birthday. He'd been handed a death sentence.**

"I'd hate to admit it," Leo shrugged, "but yeah. He's right."

"Way to be positive." Piper rolled her eyes.

"It's your turn now, Hephaestus." Artemis handed the book to Hephaestus, who didn't look very happy to have it.

"Yay," he said with no enthusiasm.

**END OF FRANK 12**

* * *

**Hey, guys! Long time no talk. **

**I've been on the coast with my aunt for two weeks. That why I've been missing. I'm sorry. I've missed writing in this, I miss talking to you guys, hearing your comments, and reading stories. I couldn't bring my computer over there so I couldn't write. Otherwise I might have a couple chapters to post today. But I think two will do.**

**Love you guys!**

**Thanks for being patient!**


	14. Percy 13

**I went to Barnes and Noble a couple days ago... and it was heaven! I just wish I could get locked in there for, like, a year so I could read all the books. And they had starbucks in the back, so I wouldn't starve to death! It's the perfect plan... But seriously I love it in there. And I hardly ever get to go, because there are none in my town, so it's just amazing when I can.**

**So I just wanted to tell you that.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**PERCY 13**

**Percy slept like a Medusa victim - which to say, like a rock.**

Sally sighed, "at least he's sleeping."

**He hadn't crashed in a safe, comfortable bed since... well, he couldn't even remember. Despite his insane day and the million thoughts running through his head, his body took over and said: _You will sleep now._**

**He had dreams, of course. He always had dreams, but they passed like blurred images from the window of a train. He saw a curly-haired faun in ragged clothes running to catch up to him.**

"Grover, why are you in his dreams?" Thalia asked.

Grover smiled, "me and Annabeth tried an empathy link before I was... brought here."

"And you just bring that up now?" Jason asked.

Grover blushed, "I didn't think it was important, I wasn't even sure if he understood or even really _saw _the link."

"Apparently it did," Luke grumbled.

Annabeth had started to notice that with the other Annabeth gone, Traitor Luke's mood has gone down the drain. Especially when they had started the book with Hero Percy in it. Luke snapped at everything, and it was never in a positive way. He was starting to act more and more like Traitor Percy. Before, when they first started reading the first book, Luke had a alright mood. Like he was actually glad that he was brought here, it even seemed like he was trying to make amends with the Annabeth from his reality. And Annabeth could see the glow in his eye when he saw her.

He was almost a different person now. Even now, he sits with his hands folded, back hunched, and his blue eyes dark and dangerous. He looked nothing like Hero Luke, _her _Luke. The one that she hasn't seen in months. All that Annabeth can hope for is that Luke is going through the same things that Hero Percy is going through. That he has been succeeding at entering Camp Jupiter, and winning their trust. Frank and Hazel have met him too, Annabeth hoped that they would take care of him, watch out for him._  
_

That's all she asks.

**"I don't have any spare change," Percy called.**

"Oh, that's insulting."

**"What?" the faun said. "No, Percy. It's me, Grover! Stay put! We're on our way to find you. Tyson is close - at least we _think _he's the closest. WE're trying to get a lock on your position."**

**"What?" Percy called, but the faun disappeared in the fog.**

**Then Annabeth was running along beside him, reaching out her hand. "Thank the gods!" she called. "For months and months we couldn't see you! Are you all right?"**

**Percy remembered what Juno had said - _for months he has been slumbering, but now he is awake. _The goddess had intentionally kept hum hidden, but why?**

"The same reason that Nico is doing it," Piper guessed, "it's just the way things were supposed to happen."

**"Are you real?" he asked Annabeth.**

**He wanted so much to believe it he felt like Hannibal the elephant was standing on his chest. But her face began to dissolve. She cried, "Stay put! It'll be easier for Tyson to find you! Stay where you are!"**

**Then she was gone.**

"So close," Silena sighed.

"You know he won't listen," Thalia grumbled, "he's going to go on that quest and ignore everything you just told him."

Grover nodded like he had already knew that, "I figured."

"And how can Tyson find him, if he's sitting right here with us?" Beckendorf asked.

Tyson wasn't saying much of anything, like he wasn't really there sometimes, only a fragment of him.

"Who knows," Silena said.

"I guess that's the best answer we get."

**The images accelerated. He saw a huge ship in a dry dock, workers scrambling to finish the hull, a guy with a blowtorch welding a bronze dragon figurehead to the prow. **

"Is he seeing Leo?"

**He saw the war got stalking toward him in the surf, a sword in his hands.**

"I don't remember that happening," Leo muttered.

**The scene shifted. Percy stood on the Field of Mars, looking up at the Berkeley Hills. Golden grass rippled, and a face appeared in the landscape - a sleeping woman, her features formed from shadows and folds in the terrain. Her eyes remained closed, but her voice spoke in Percy's mind:**

_**So this is the demigod who destroyed my son Kronos. You don't look like much, Percy Jackson, but you're valuable to me. Come north. Meet Alcyoneus. Juno can play her little games with Greeks and Romans, but in the end, you will be my pawn. You will be the key to the gods' defeat.**_

"He's seeing her too," Piper muttered.

"If she wants him to go north," Aphrodite thought, "shouldn't he _not _want to go to Alaska?"

"He's stilling going to go to Alaska," Grover sighed, "he won't give up on a quest."

"Even one he just started," Thalia agreed.

"She wants him to be her pawn." Poseidon muttered. "That could turn out bad."

"Everything could turn out bad," Athena pointed out, "we will just have to put our trust in the demigods and hope that they make the right choices. They will be our saviors."

Zeus mumbled something under his breath, something that no one could understand, but they had a pretty good idea.

"You know you _do _need the demigods, Zeus." Athena snapped. "Don't make my daughter come back and give you an earfull."

"You sound like Hera," Zeus grumbled.

Hera scowled at her husband. "I don't appreciate that, Zeus."

"It's true."

"Can we just read?" Hades asked. "I hate listening to your bickering."

**Percy's vision turned dark. He stood in a theater-sized version of the camp's headquarters - a _principia _with walls of ice and freezing mist hanging in the air. The floor was littered with skeletons in Roman armor and Imperial gold weapons encrusted with frost. In the back of the room sat an enormous shadowy figure. His skin glinted of gold and silver, as if he was an automation like Reyna's dogs. Behind him stood a collection of ruined emblems, tattered banners, and a large golden eagle on a staff of iron.**

"Sounds like that place is fun."

**The giant's voice boomed in the vast chamber. "This will be fun, son of Neptune. It's been eons since I broke a demigods of your caliber. I await you atop the ice."**

"He also sounds like a lot of fun."

**Percy woke, shivering. For a moment he didn't know where he was. Then he remembered: Camp Jupiter, the Fifth Cohort barracks. He lay in his bunk, staring at the ceiling and trying to control his racing heartbeat.**

**A golden giant was waiting to break him. Wonderful. But what unnerved him more was that sleeping woman's face in the hills. _You will be my pawn. _Percy didn't play chess, but he was pretty sure that being a pawn was bad. They died a lot.**

"Pretty much," Annabeth grumbled.

**Even the friendlier part of his dream were disturbing. A faun named Grover was looking for him. Maybe that's why don had detected a - what had he called it? - an empathy link. Somebody named Tyson was searching for him, too, and Annabeth had warned Percy to stay where he was.**

**He sat up in his bunk. His roommates were rushing around, getting dressed and brushing their teeth. Dakota was wrapping himself in a long piece of red-speckled cloth - a toga. One of the Lares were giving him pointers on where to tuck and fold.**

**"Breakfast time?" Percy asked hopefully.**

"All he thinks about is food," Thalia sighed.

**Frank's head popped up from the bunk below. He had bags under his eyes like he hadn't slept well. "A quick breakfast. Then we've got the senate meeting."**

**Dakota's head was stuck in his toga. He staggered around like a Kool-Aid-stained ghost.**

**"Um," Percy said, "should I wear my bedsheets?"**

Jason shook his head. "How did this guy save the world?"

"How did you save the world?" Annabeth asked him.

**Frank snorted. "That's just for the senators. There's ten of them, elected yearly. You've got to be at camp for five years to qualify."**

**"So how come we're invited to the meeting?"**

**"Because... you know, the quest." Frank sounded worried, like he was afraid Percy would back out. **

"He can't," Rachel said, "Mars said that he had to go. He can't just back out... can he?"

**"We have to be in the the discussion. You, me, Hazel. I mean, if you're willing..."**

**Frank probably didn't mean to guilt him, but Percy's heart felt pulled like taffy. He had sympathy for Frank. Getting claimed by the war god in front of the whole camp - what a nightmare. Plus, how could Percy say no to that big pouty baby face? Frank had been given a huge task that would most likely get him killed. He was scared. He needed Percy's help.**

**And the three of them _had _made a good team last night. Hazel and Frank were solid, dependable people. They'd accepted Percy like family. Still, he didn't like the idea of this quest, especially since it came from Mars, and especially after his dreams.**

**"I, um... I'd better get ready..." He climbed out of bed and got dressed. The whole time, he thought about Annabeth.**

Aphrodite squealed.

"Really?" Athena asked.

**Help was on the way. He could have his old life back. All e had to do was stay put.**

**At breakfast, Percy was conscious of everyone looking at him. They were whispering about the previous night.**

**"Two gods in one day..."**

**"Un-Roman fighting..."**

**"Water cannon up my nose..."**

Leo winced. "That's _gotta _hurt."

**He was too hungry to care. He filled up on pancakes, eggs, bacon, waffles, apples, and several glasses of orange juice. He probably would have eaten more, but Reyna announced that the senate would now convene in the city, and all the folks in togas got up to leave.**

"How can he eat _that _much?"

**"Here we go." Hazel fidgeted with stone that looked like a two-carat ruby.**

**The ghost Vitellius appeared next to them in a purple shimmer. "_Bona fortuna, _you three! Ah, senate meetings. I remember the one when Caesar was assassinated. Why, the amount of blood on his toga -"**

**"Thanks, Vitellius," Frank interrupted. "We should get going."**

"Yeah, that was disturbing."

**Reyna and Octavian led the procession of senators out of camp, with Reyna's metal greyhounds dashing back and forth along the road. Hazel, Frank, and Percy trailed behind. Percy noticed Nico di Angelo in the group, wearing a black toga and talking with Gwen, who looked a little pale but surprisingly good considering she'd been dead the night before.**

"Why are _you _wearing a toga?" Jason asked.

"Because I had to," Nico muttered. "Duh."

**Nico waved at Percy, then went back to his conversation, leaving Percy more sure than ever the Hazel's brother was trying to avoid him.**

**Dakota stumbled along in his red-speckled robe. A lot of other senators seemed to be having trouble with their togas, too - hiking up their hems, trying to keep the cloth from slipping from their shoulder. Percy was glad he was wearing a regular purple T-shirt and jeans.**

**"How could Romans move, in those things?" he wondered. **

**"They were just for formal occasions," Hazel said. "Like tuxedos. I bet ancient Romans hated togas as much as we do. By the way, you didn't bring any weapons did you?"**

"The pen is always with him," Poseidon said. "He can really just _leave _it somewhere."

**Percy's hands went to his pocket, where his pen always stayed. "Why? Are we not supposed to?"**

**"No weapons allowed inside the Pomerian Line," she said.**

**"The _what _line?"**

**"Pomerian," Frank said. "The city limits. Inside is a sacred 'safe zone.' Legions can't march through. No weapons allowed. That's so senate meetings don't get ugly."**

"Like Caesar?"

**"Like Julius Caesar getting assassinated?" Percy asked.**

**Frank nodded. "Don't worry. Nothing like that has happened in months."**

"Months?" Will said, surprised.

Jason nodded, "you have no idea what kind of damage a stick can do."

**Percy hoped he was kidding.**

**As they got closer to the city, Percy could appreciate hoe beautiful it was. The tiled roofs and gold domes gleamed in the sun. Gardens bloomed with honeysuckle and roses. The central plaza was pave in white and gray stone, decorated with statures, fountains, and gilded columns. In the surrounding neighborhoods, cobblestone streets were lined with freshly painted town houses, cafes, and parks. In the distance rose the coliseum and the horse racing arena.**

"Annabeth would love it there." Thalia said. "She could get notes on her designs and stuff."

**Percy didn't notice they'd reach the city limits under the senators in front of him started slowing down.**

**On the side of the road stood a white marble statue - a life size muscular man with curly hair, no arms, and an irritated expression. Maybe he looked mad because he was carved only from the waist up. Below that, he was just a block of marble.**

Jason smiled, "I'd hate to say it, but I actually miss that guy."

"What guy?" Piper asked him. "That statue?"

"You'll see."

**"Single file, please!" the statue said. "Have your IDs ready."**

"Is the statue talking?" Paul asked. "How is that possible?"

**Percy looked to his left and right. He hadn't noticed before, but a line of identical statues ringed the city at intervals of about a hundred yards.**

**The senators passed through easily. The statue checked the tattoos on their forearms and called each senator by name. "Gwendolyn, senator, Fifth Cohort, yes. Nico di Angelo ambassador of Pluto - very well. Reyna, praetor, of course. Hank, senator, Third Cohort - oh, nice shoes, Hank! Ah, who have we here?"**

**Hazel, Frank, and Percy were the last ones.**

**"Terminus," Hazel said, "this is Percy Jackson. Percy, this is Terminus, god of boundaries."**

"God of boundaries?" Sally asked.

"That must be a stupid title." Leo said. "Nothing like Hephaestus, god of fire!"

**"New, eh?" said the god. "Yes, _probatio _tablet. Fine. Ah, weapon in your pocket? Take it out! Take it out!"**

**Percy didn't know how Terminus could tell, but he took out his pen.**

**"Quite dangerous," Terminus said. "Leave it in the try. Wait, where's my assistant? Julia!"**

**A little girl about six years old peeked out from behind the base of the statue. She had pigtails, a pink dress, and an impish grin with two missing teeth.**

"Aww!" Silena smiled. "She sounds so cute!"

**"Julia?" Terminus glanced behind him, and Julia scurried in the other direction "Where did that girl go?"**

**Terminus looked the other way and caught sight of Julia before she could hide. The little girl squealed with delight.**

**"Oh, there you are," said the statue. "Front and center. Bring the tray."**

**Julia scrambled out and brushed off her dress. She picked up a tray and presented it to Percy. On it were several paring knives, a corkscrew, an oversized container of sun lotion, and a water bottle.**

"Those are dangerous weapons?" Luke asked.

"I said that almost anything can be used as a weapon," Jason muttered.

**"You can pick up your weapon on the way out," Terminus said. "Julia will take good care of it. She's trained professional."**

**The little girl nodded. "Pro-fess-ion-al." She said each syllable carefully, like she'd been practicing.**

"So cute!"

**Percy glanced at Hazel and Frank, who didn't seem to find anything odd about this. Still, he wasn't wild about handing over a deadly weapon to a kid.**

**"The thing is," he said, "the pen returns to my pocket automatically, so even if I give it up -"**

**"Not to worry," Terminus assured him. "We'll make sure it doesn't wander off. Won't we, Julia?"**

**"Yes, Mr. Terminus."**

**Reluctantly, Percy put his pen on the tray.**

**"Now, a few rules, since you're new," Terminus said. "You are entering the boundaries of the city proper. Keep the peace inside the line. Yield to chariot traffic while walking on public roads. When you get to the Senate House, sit on the left-hand side. And, down there - do you see where I'm pointing?"**

"He doesn't have hands!" Beckendorf said. "Is that god crazy?"

"Aren't all of them crazy?" Thalia muttered.

"Pretty much," Beckendorf shrugged.

"We can hear you!"

**"Um," Percy said, "you don't have any hands."**

**Apparently this was a sore point for Terminus. His marble face turned a shade of gray. "A smart aleck, eh? Well, Mr. Rule Flouter, right down there in the forum - Julia, point for me, please -"**

"And he pissed off another god," Grover said.

**Julia dutifully set down the security tray and pointed toward the main plaza.**

**"The shop with the blue awning," Terminus continued, "that's the general store. They sell tape measures. Buy one! I want those pants exactly one inch above the ankles and that hair regulation cut. And tuck your shirt in."**

"Like Percy would ever do that," Sally smiled, "I can even get him to _brush _is hair, let alone cut it."

**Hazel said, "Thank you, Terminus. We need to get going."**

**"Fine, fine, you may pass," the god said testily. "But stay on the right side of the road! And that rock right there - No, Hazel, look where I'm pointing. That rock is entirely too close to that tree. Move it two inches to the left."**

**Hazel did what she was told, and they continued down the path, Terminus still shouting orders at them while Julia did cartwheels across the grass.**

"Well," Leo clapped Jason on the back, "it must be hell living there with _that _god. It's bad enough that we get Mr. D, but you get the god of borders. _That's _almost worst than the god of wine!"

"Tom," Dionysus grumbled, he had been sleeping for the entire first part of the book (which everyone was thankful for), and now just woke up. "I can hear you, Tom."

"Tom?" Leo asked. "How do you get Tom from Leo?"

"Yeah," Piper said, "normally you at least get the _first _letter of the names, but Tom doesn't have anything in common with Leo."

"Three letters?" Jason offered.

"I guess, but still!" Piper said.

"I don't care what Tom's brother's name is," Dionysus grumbled, "just don't insult me, or I'll turn you into a dolphin."

Leo scowled. Him, Piper, and Jason looked at each other with a confused expression, but decided to let it go.

"What is going on?" Paul whispered to Sally.

Sally shrugged, "don't ask me."

**"Is he always like that?" Percy asked.**

**"No," Hazel admitted. "Today he was laid back. Usually he's more obsessive/compulsive."**

"How is that even possible?"

**"He inhibits every boundary stone around the city," Frank said. "Kind of our last line of defense if the city's attacked."**

**"Terminus isn't so bad," Hazel added. "Just don't make him angry, or he'll forced you to measure every blade of grass in the valley."**

**Percy filed that information. "And the kid? Julia?"**

**Hazel grinned. "Yeah, she'd a cutie. Her parents live in the city. Come on. We'd better catch up to the senators."**

**As they approached the forum, Percy was struck by the sheer number of people. College-age kids were hanging out at the fountain. Several of them waved at the senators as they passed. One guy in his late twenties stood at a bakery counter, flirting with a young woman who was buying coffee. An older couple was watching a little boy in diapers and a miniature Camp Jupiter shirt toddle after seagulls. Merchants were opening their shops or the day, putting out signs in Latin that advertised pottery, jewelry, and half-price tickets for the Hippodrome.**

"Sounds like a fun place," Percy muttered.

"Coffee!" Travis groaned.

"I'm hungry again," Conner muttered.

"We just ate," Clarisse grumbled, "how can you be hungry?"

**"_All _these people are demigods?" Percy asked.**

**"Or descended from demigods," Hazel said. "Like I told you, it's a good place to go to college or raise a family without worrying about monster attacks every day. Maybe two, three hundred people live here? The veterans act as, like, advisers and reserve forces as needed, by mostly they're just citizens living their lives."**

**Percy imagined what that would be like: getting an apartment in this tiny replica of Rome, protected by the legion and Terminus the OCD border god. He imagined holding hands with Annabeth at a cafe. Maybe when they were older, watching their own kid chase seagulls across the forum...**

"That's adorable!" Aphrodite was so happy that a few tears of joy streaked down her face.

"I don't like having him think of my daughter like that." Athena scowled.

"It's nice he's even thinking about the future," Sally said quietly, "if he didn't he'd have nothing to look forward too."

"Still," Athena growled, "his future doesn't have to include my daughter."

"Whatever Athena," Poseidon grumbled, "be a drama-queen. Aphrodite has finally rubbed off on her."

Aphrodite sniffed and patted her eyes with a pink handkerchief, "W-what?"

"Nothing." Athena snapped. "Just keep reading Hephaestus."

**He shook the idea out of his head. He couldn't afford to indulge in that kind of thinking. Most of his memories were gone, but he knew this places wasn't his home. He belonged somewhere else, with his other friends.**

"Yeah," Grover whispered, "that would be nice."

**Besides, Camp Jupiter was in danger. If Juno was right, an attack was coming in less than five days. Percy imagined that sleeping woman's face - the face of Gaea - forming in the hills above camp. He imagined hordes of monsters descending into the valley.**

_**If you don't succeed,**_** Mars had warned, _there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever._**

**He thought about the little girl Julia, the families with kids, his new friends in the Fifth Cohort, even those silly fauns. He didn't want to picture what might happen to them if this place was destroyed.**

**The senators made their way to a big white-domed building on the west end of the forum. Percy passed at the doorway, trying not to think about Julius Caesar getting slashed to death at a senate meeting. Then he took a deep breath and followed Hazel and Frank inside.**

"That's it," Hephaestus muttered. "Aphrodite if you'll stop crying from joy, I'll let you read the next chapter."

"F-fine," Aphrodite sat up straight and snapped her fingers, the running mascara and eyeliner instantly fixed it self, her red eyes clear up, and she was back to normal.

"That was scary," Piper muttered, "please never do that again."

"I wish I could do that!" Silena whined. "Why can't I do that?"

"Alright, Hephaestus, dear, hand me the book." Aphrodite commanded.

"Sure."

**END OF PERCY 13**

**I hate these couple of chapter before the quest, because I just want to hurry up and get to the important parts! But I do love this part with Percy thinking about Annabeth and him having a future. I wanted to have Athena freaking out a little, without it being out of her character. So I let her complain a little bit...**


	15. Percy 14

**For some reason this was a SUPER annoying chapter to write.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**The senate house interior looked like a high school lecture hall.**

Aphrodite read.

"I guess that makes sense," Piper muttered, "but it still seems weird that something that common would be in a camp that supposed to be a new version of Rome."

**A semicircle of tiered seats faced a dais with a podium and two chairs. The chairs were empty, but one had a small velvet package on the seat.**

**Percy, Hazel, and Frank sat on the left side of the semicircle. The ten senators and Nico di Angelo occupied the rest of the front row. The upper rows were filled with several dozen ghosts and a few older veterans from the city, all in formal togas. Octavian stood in front with a knife and a Beanie Baby lion, just in case anyone needed to consult the god of cutest collectibles. Reyna walked to the podium and raised her hand for attention.**

**"Right, this is an emergency meeting," she said. "We won't stand on formalities."**

**"I love formalities!" a ghost complained.**

**Reyna shot him a cross look.**

"Sounds terrifying," Luke said darkly.

**"First of all," she said, "we're not here to vote on the quest itself. The quest has been issued by Mars Ultor, patron of Rome. We will obey his wishes. Nor are we here to debate the choice of Frank Zhang's companions."**

**"All three from the Fifth Cohort?" called out Hank from the Third. "That's not fair."**

**"And not smart," said the boy next to him. "We ****_know _****the Fifth will mess up. They should take somebody ****_good_****."**

"Jerks," Silena snarled, "if they were going to be rude, might as well make it a little less... rude."

"That doesn't make much sense." Rachel said.

**Dakota got up so fast, he spilled Kool-Aid from his flask. "We were plenty good last night when we whipped you ****_podex, _****Larry!"**

"Ohhhh," Jason winced, "he did not just bring in Larry's _podex_."

**"Enough, Dakota," Reyna said. "Let's leave Larry's _podex _out of this. As quest leader, Frank has the right to choose his companions. He has chosen Percy Jackson and Hazel Levesque."**

**A ghost from the second row yelled, "_Absurdus! _Frank Zhang isn't even a full member of the legion! He's on _probatio. _A quest must be led by someone of centurion rank or higher. This is completely -"**

**"Cato," Reyna snapped. "We must obey the wishes of Mars Ulto. That means certain... adjustments."**

"You can tell how much as agrees with Mars," Percy muttered.

**Reyna clapped her hands, and Octavian came forward. He set down his knife and Beanie Baby and took the velvet package from the chair.**

**"Frank Zhang," he said, "come forward."**

**Frank glanced nervously at Percy. Then he got to his feet and approached the augur.**

**"It is my... pleasure." Octavian said, forcing out the last word, "to bestow upon you the Mural Crown for being the first over the walls in siege warfare."**

"I might actually just hate him a little more now," Rachel grumbled. "If that's even possible."

**Octavian handed him a bronze badge shaped like a laurel wreath. "Also, by order of Praetor Reyna, to promote you to the rank of centurion."**

**He handed Frank another badge, a bronze crescent, and the senate exploded in protest.**

"This isn't going well," Piper noted.

"It's crazy that they're getting so worked up about this," Will said, "a little change and they all think the world will end."

"They don't like going against tradition," Jason defended. "It's supposed to make the gods angry, and will - eventually - bring misfortune to the legion."

"Romans are _way _too paranoid," Rachel said.

"Pretty much," Jason agreed, reluctantly.

**"He's still a probie!" one yelled.**

**"Impossible!" said another.**

**"Water cannon up my nose!" yelled a third.**

"Really?" Poseidon asked. "They're still on that?"

**"Silence!" Octavian's voice sounded a lot more commanding than it had the previous night on the battlefield. "Our praetor recognizes that no one below the rank of centurion may lead a quest. For good or ill, Frank must lead this quest - so our praetor has decreed that Frank Zhang must be made centurion."**

**Suddenly Percy understood what an effective speaker Octavian was. He sounded reasonable and supportive, but his expression was pained. HE carefully crafted his words to put all the responsibility on Reyna. _This was her idea, _he seemed to say.**

**If it went wrong, Reyna was to blame. If only Octavian had been the one in charge, things would have been done more sensibly. But alas, he had no choice but to support Reyna, because Octavian was a loyal Roman soldier.**

Jason snorted.

**Octavian managed to convey all that without saying it, simultaneously calming the senate and sympathizing with them. For the first time, Percy realized this scrawny, funny looking scarecrow of a kid might be a dangerous enemy.**

**Reyna must have recognized this too. A look of irritation flashed across her frace. "There is an opening for centurion," she said. "One of our officers, also a senator, has decided to step down. After ten years in the legion, she will retire to the city and attend college. Gwen of the Fifth Cohort, we thank you for your service."**

"Thank only makes sense," Annabeth said, "she _did _kinda get stabbed and killed. I would retire too."

**Everyone turned to Gwen, who managed a brave smile. She looked tired from the previous night's ordeal, but also relieved. Percy couldn't blame her. Compared to getting skewered with a _pilum, _college sounded pretty good.**

**"As a praetor," Reyna continued, "I have the right to replace officers. I admit it's unusual for a camper on _prodatio _to rise directly to the rank of centurion, but I think we can agree... last night was unusual. Frank Zhang, your ID, please."**

"I might actually agree with her," Athena said.

**Frank removed the lead tablet from around his neck and handed it to Octavian.**

**"Your arm," Octavian said.**

**Frank help up his forearm. Octavian raised his hands to the heavens.**

Jason rolled his eyes, "stop being dramatic."

**"We except Frank Zhang, Son of Mars, to the Twelfth LEgion Fulminata for his first year of service. Do you pledge your life to the senate and people of Rome?"**

**Frank muttered something like "Ud-dud." Then he cleared his throat and managed: "I do."**

**The senators shouted, "_Senatus Populusque Romanus!"_**

"During these meetings," Rachel said, "do they always talk in Latin?"

"Pretty much," Jason said. "It can give you a headache sometimes."

**Fire blazed on Frank's arm. For a moment his eyes filled with terror, and Percy was afraid his friend might pass out.**

"The Romans have magic fire!" Travis cheered.

"We need magic fire!" Conner laughed.

**Then the smoke and fire died, and new marks were seared onto Frank's skin: SPQR, an images of crossed spears, and a single stripe, representing the first year of service.**

**"You may sit down." Octavian glanced at the audience as if to say: _This wasn't my idea, folks._**

**"Now," Reyna said, "we must discuss the quest."**

**The senators shifted and muttered as Frank returned to his seat.**

**"Did it hurt?" Percy whispered.**

"Nooooooo."

**Frank looked at his forearm, which was still steaming. "Yeah. A lot." He seemed mystified by the badges in his hand - the centurion's mark and the Mural Crown - like he wasn't sure what to do with them.**

**"Here." Hazel's eyes shone with pride. "Let me."**

"Aww!" Aphrodite smiled. "I ship them so much!"

"What does that mean?" Piper as her mother, her eyebrows raised.

Aphrodite crossed her arms. "If you don't know, you don't need to know."

Piper shrugged, "I didn't really want to know anyway."

**She pinned the medals to Frank's shirt.**

**Percy smiled. He'd only known Frank for a day, but he felt proud of him too. "You deserve it, man," he said. "What you did last night? Natural leadership."**

Percy shrugged, "it was alright."

**Frank scowled. "But _centurion_ -"**

**"Centurion Zhang," called Octavian. "Did you hear the question?"**

**Frank blinked. "Um... sorry. What?"**

**Octavian turned to the senate and smirked, like. _What did I tell you?_**

**"I was _asking,_" Octavian said like he was talking to a three-year-old, "if you have a plan for the quest. Do you even know where you are going?"**

"I thought Mars told them where to go," Clarisse muttered.

**"Um..."**

**Hazel put her hand on Frank's shoulder and stood. "Weren't _you _listening last night, Octavian? Mars was pretty clear. We're going to the land beyond the gods - Alaska."**

**The senators squirmed in their togas. Some of the ghosts shimmered and disappeared. Even Reyna's metal dogs rolled over on their backs and whimpered.**

**Finally Senator Larry stood. "I know what Mars said, but that's crazy. Alaska is cursed! They call it the land beyond the gods for a reason. It's so far north, the Roman gods have no power there. The place is swarming with monsters. No demigod has come back from there alive since -"**

**"Since you lost your eagle," Percy said.**

"Percy," Grover groaned. "This is the time when you _don't _open your mouth."

**Larry was so startled, he fell back on his _podex._**

**"Look," Percy continued, "I know I'm new here. I know you guys don't like to mention that massacre in the nineteen-eighties -"**

**"He mentioned it!" one of the ghosts whimpered.**

**" - But don't you get it?" Percy continued. "The Fifth Cohort led that expedition. We failed, and we have to responsible for making things right. That's why Mars is sending us. This giant, the son of Gaea - he's the one who defeated your forces thirty years ago. I'm sure of it. Now he's sitting up there in Alaska with a chained death god, and all you old equipment. He's mustering his armies ans sending them south to attack this camp."**

**"Really?" Octavian said. "You seem to know a lot about our enemies plans, Percy Jackson."**

"Oh, crap."

**Most insults Percy could shrug off - being called weak or stupid or whatever. But it dawned on him that Octavian was calling him a spy - a traitor. That was such a foreign concept to Percy, so _not _who he was, he almost couldn't process the slur. When he did, his shoulders tensed. He was tempted to smack Octavian on the head again, but he realized Octavian was baiting him, trying to make him look unstable.**

**Percy took a deep breath.**

**"We're going to confront this son of Gaea," he said, managing to keep his composure. "We'll get back your eagle and unchain this god..." He glanced at Hazel. "Thanatos, right?"**

**She nodded. "Letus, in Roman. But his old Greek name is Thanatos. When it comes to Death... we're happy to let him stay Greek."**

"But you'll have the war god as your patron?" Rachel asked. "That practically the same thing."

**Octavian sighed in exasperation. "Well, _whatever _you call him... how do you expect to do all this and get back by the Feast of Fortuna? That's the evening of the twenty-forth. IT's the twentieth now. Do you even know where to look? Do you even know who this son of Gaea is?"**

**"Yes." Hazel spoke with such certainty that even Percy was surprised.**

"How does she know?" Annabeth wondered. "I mean, it did say that she moved to Alaska with her mother... maybe she found something out there about the son of Gaea."

"That would make sense," Athena muttered. "We'll just have to wait and see."

**"I don't know _exactly _where to look, but I have a pretty good idea. The giant's name is Alcyoneus."**

**That name seemed to lower the temperature in the room by fifty degrees. The senators shivered.**

**Reyna gripped her podium. "How do you know this, Hazel? Because your a child of Pluto?"**

"Just because your the child of someone doesn't mean you know everything about that person."

**Nico di Angelo had been so quiet, Percy had almost forgotten he was there. Now he stood in his black toga.**

**"Praetor, if I may," he said. "Hazel and I... we learned a little about the giants from our father. Each giant was bred specifically to oppose one of the twelve Olympian gods - to usurp the god's domain. The king of giants Porphyrion, the anti-Jupiter."**

"I hate that guy," Piper grumbled.

**"But the _eldest _giant was Alcyoneus. He was born to oppose Pluto. That's why we know of him in particular."**

"Why was the one supposed to oppose Pluto born first?" Percy asked the gods. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Don't ask us," Hermes spoke, "we don't know what Gaea was thinking."

**Reyna frowned. "Indeed? You should _quite _familiar with him."**

**Nico picked at the edge of his toga. "Anyway... the giants were hard to kill. According to the prophecy, they could only be defeated by gods and demigods working together."**

Leo groaned. "Don't remind me of that."

**Dakota belched.**

Aphrodite sighed. "Manners?"

**"Sorry, did you say gods and demigods... like fighting side by side? That could never happen!"**

"It already did," Athena said. "And it's going to happen again, whether Zeus likes it or not."

Zeus grumbled something.

**"It _has _happened," Nico said. "In the first giant war, the gods called on heroes to join them, and they were victorious. Whether it could happen again, I don't know. But with Alcyoneus... _he _was different. He was completely immortal, impossible to kill by god or demigod, as long as he remained in his home territory - the place where he was born."**

"This is going to be a fun one," Ares smirked.

"Ares," Artemis grumbled, "stop being creepy."

**Nico paused to let that sink in. "And if Alcyoneus has been reborn in Alaska -"**

**"Then he can't be defeated there," Hazel finished. "Ever. By any means. Which is why our nineteen-eighties expedition was doomed to fail."**

"She pretty much just said that they were doomed too, right?" Travis asked. "Because that what I got from that."

**Another round of arguing shouting broke out.**

**"We're doomed!" cried a ghost.**

**"More Kool-Aid!" yelled Dakota.**

**"We're doomed!" shouted a senator.**

**"Silence!" Reyna called. "Senators, we must act like Romans. Mars has given us this quest, and we have to believe it _is _possible. These three demigods must travel to Alaska. They must free Thanatos and return before the Feast of Fortuna. If they can retrieve the lost eagle in the process so much the better. All we can do is advise them and make sure they have a plan."**

**Reyna looked at Percy without much hope. **

"Oh, _that's _encouraging."

**"You _do _have a plan?"**

**Percy wanted to step forward bravely and say, _No, I don't!_**

"That would funny." Apollo muttered.

**That was the truth, but looking around at all the nervous faces, Percy knew he couldn't say it.**

**"First, I need to understand something." He turned toward Nico. "I thought Pluto was the god of the dead. Now I hear about this other guy, Thanatos, and the Doors of Death from that prophecy - the Prophecy of the Seven. What does all the mean?"**

"That's a lot of questions."

**Nico took a deep breath. "Okay. Pluto is the god of the Underworld, but the actual god of death, the one who's responsible for making sure souls go to the afterlife and stay there - that's Pluto's lieutenant, Thanatos. He's like... well, imagine Life and Death are two different countries. Everybody would like to be in Life, right? So there's a guarded border to keep people from crossing back over without permission. But it's a _big _border, with lots of holes in the fence. Pluto tried to seal up the breaches, but new ones keep popping up all the time. That's why he depends on Thanatos, who'd like the border patrol, the police."**

"Oh, I get it." Percy said.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "How could you not? It was straight forward."

**"Thanatos catches souls," Percy said, "and deports them back to the Underworld."**

**"Exactly," Nico said. "But now Thanatos has been captured, chained up."**

**Frank raised his hand. "Uh... how do you chain Death?"**

**"It's been done before," Nico said. "In the old days, a guy named Sisyphus tricked Death and tied him up."**

Conner giggled. "Sisyphus." Travis laughed.

**"Another time, Hercules wrestled him to the ground."**

**"And now a giant has captured him," Percy said. "So if we could free Thanatos, then the dead would stay dead?" He glanced at Gwen. "Um... no offense."**

"This discussion must be pretty awkward for her." Piper said. "I feel bad for her."

**"It's more complicated than that," Nico said.**

**Octavian rolled his eyes. "Why does that _not _surprise me?"**

**"You mean the Doors of Death," Reyna said, ignoring Octavian. "They are mentioned in the Prophecy of the Seven, which sent the first expedition to Alaska -"**

**Cato the ghost snorted. "We all know how that turned out! We Lares remembered!"**

**The other ghosts grumbled in agreement.**

**Nico put his finger to his lips. Suddenly all the Lares when silent. Some looked alarmed, like they mouths had been glued together. Percy wished he had the power over certain living people... like Octavian, for instance.**

"That a nice power," Luke muttered to Nico.

"It comes in handy," Nico admitted.

**"Thanatos is only part of the solution," Nico explained. "The Doors of Death... well, that's a concept even I don't completely understand. There are many ways into the Underworld - the River Styx, the Door of Orpheus - plus smaller escape routes that open up from time to time. With Thanatos imprisoned, all those exits will be easier to use. Sometimes it might work to our advantage and let a friendly soul come back - like Gwen here. More often, if will benefit evil souls and monsters, the sneaky ones who are looking to escape. Now, the Doors of Death - those are the personal doors of Thanatos, his fast lane between Life and Death. Only Thanatos is supposed to know where they are, and the location shifted over the ages. If I understand correctly, the Doors of Death have been forced open. Gaea's minions have seized control of them -"**

**"Which mean Gaea control who can come back from the dead," Percy guessed.**

"Perfect," Poseidon muttered, "everything is just perfect."

"Stop talking," Zeus ordered, "we can't do anything about it here. So no need to talk about it."

**Nico nodded. "She can pick and choose who to let out - the worst monsters, the most evil souls. If we rescue Thanatos, that means at least he can catch souls again and sent them below. Monsters will die when we kill them, like they used to and we'll get a little breathing room. But unless we're able to retake the Doors of Death, our enemies won't stay down for 'll have an easy way back to the world of the living."**

**"So we can catch them and deport them," Percy summed up," but they'll just keep coming back across."**

**"In a depressing nutshell, yes," Nico said.**

The demigods sighed and groaned.

**Frank scratched his head. "But Thanatos knows where the doors are, right? If we free him, he can retake them."**

**"I don't think so," Nico said. "Not alone. He's no match for Gaea. That would take a massive quest... an army of the best demigods."**

**"_Foes bear arms to the Doors of Death,_" Reyna said. "That's the Prophecy of the Seven..." she looked at Percy, and and for just a moment he could see how scared she was. She did a good job of hiding it, but Percy wondered if she'd had nightmares about Gaea too - if she'd seen visions of what would happen when the camp was invaded by monsters that couldn't be killed. "If this begins the ancient prophecy, we don't have the resources to send an army to these Doors of Death _and _protect the camp. I can't imagine even sparing seven demigods -"**

"Some of the demigods are Greek," Annabeth guessed. "Greeks and Romans."

**"First things first." Percy tried to sound confident, though he could feel the level of panic rising in the room. "I don't know who the seven are, or what that old prophecy means, exactly. But first we have to free Thanatos. Mars told us we only needed three people for the quest to Alaska. Let's concentrate on succeeding with that and getting back before the Feast of Fortuna. Then we can worry about the Doors of Death."**

**"Yeah," Frank said in a small voice. "That's probably enough for a week."**

**"So you _do _have a plan?" Octavian asked skeptically.**

"_We _never had a plan." Grover pointed out. "Whenever we went on a quest we just winged it until we got to the important parts."

**Percy looked at his teammates. "We got to Alaska as fast as possible..."**

**"And we improvise," Hazel said.**

**"A lot," Frank added.**

"Sounds good to me," Apollo said.

**Reyna studied them. She looked like she was mentally writing her own obituary.**

**"Very well," she said. "Nothing remains except for us to vote that support we can give the quest - transportation, money, magic, weapons."**

"Magic weapons?" Conner said. "Or Magic _and _weapons?"

"Hopefully both," Travis said.

**"Praetor if I may," Octavian said.**

**"Oh, great," Percy muttered. "Here it comes."**

Jason chuckled.

**"The camp is in grave danger," Octavian said. "_Two _gods have warned us we will be attacked four days from now. We must not spread out resources too thin, especially by funding projects that have a slim chance of success."**

"That jerk," Silena cursed in ancient greek.

**Octavian looked at the three of them with pity, as if to say, _Poor little things. _"Mars has clearly chosen the least likely candidates for this quest. Perhaps that is because he considers them the most expendable. Perhaps Mars is playing the long odds. Whatever the case, he wisely _didn't _order a massive expedition, nor did he ask us to fund their adventure. I say we keep our resources here and defend the camp. This is where the battle will be lost or won. If these three succeed, wonderful! But they could do so by their own ingenuity."**

"Did this loser _not _see Percy, Frank, and Hazel kick total ass at the war games?" Rachel asked.

"He seriously thinks that they are the least likely to succeed?" Leo asked. "Who would he send instead? Himself?"

"That would be funny," Jason agreed, "but Octavian would never go on a quest. He's 'too important to the camp to leave.'"

Piper rolled her eyes. "He's just a complete jerk."

**An uneasy murmur passed through the crows. Frank jumped to his feet. Before he could start a fight, Percy said, "Fine! No problem. But at least give us transportation. Gaea is the earth goddess, right? Going overland, across the earth - I'm guessing we should avoid that. Plus, it'll be too slow."**

**Octavian laughed. "Would you like us to charter you an airplane?"**

"That wouldn't be good," Poseidon muttered.

"No," Zeus agreed, "it wouldn't be."

Poseidon glared, "shut up."

**The idea made Percy nauseous. "No. Air travel... I have a feeling that would be bad, too. But a boat. Can you at least give us a boat?"**

"Of course he'd want a boat," Sally smiled.

**Hazel made a grunting sound. Percy glanced over. She shook her head and mouthed, _Fine. I'm fine._**

**"A boat!" Octavian turned to the senators. "The son of Neptune wants a boat. Sea travel has never been the Roman way, but he isn't much of a Roman!"**

"Well, duh."

**"Octavian," Reyna said sternly, "a boat is little enough to ask. And providing no other aid seems very -"**

**"Traditional!" Octavian exclaimed. "It is very traditional. Let us see if these questers have the strength to survive without help, like true Romans!"**

**More muttering filled the chamber. The senators' eyes moved back and forth between Octavian and Reyna, watching the test of wills.**

"Are they really starting to get anxious just because the freaking son of _Neptune _want a boat?" _  
_

**Reyna straightened in her chair. "Very well," she said tightly. "We'll put it to a vote. Senators, the motion is a follows: The quest shall go to Alaska. The senate shall provide full access to the Roman navy docked at Alameda. No other aid will be forthcoming. The three adventurers will survive or fail on their own merits. All in favor?"**

**Every senator's hand went up.**

**"The motion is passed." Reyna turned to Frank. "Centurion, your party is excused. The senate has other matters to discuss. And Octavian, if I may confer with you for a moment."**

**Percy was incredibly glad to see the sunlight. In that dark hall, with all those eyes on him, he'd felt like the world was riding on his shoulders - and he was fairly sure he'd had that experience before.**

"Yeah..."

**He filled his lungs with fresh air.**

**Hazel picked up a large emerald from the path a slipped it in her pocket. "So... we're pretty much toast?"**

**Frank nodded miserable. "If either of you wants to back out, I wouldn't blame you."**

"I highly doubt they would," Will said.

**"Are you kidding?" Hazel said. "And pull sentry duty for the rest of the week?"**

**Frank managed a smile. He turned to Percy.**

**Percy gazed across the forum. _Stay put, _Annabeth had said in his dream. BUt if he stayed put, this camp would be destroyed. He looked up at the hills, and imagined Gaea's face smiling in the shadows and ridges. _You can't win, little demigod, _she seemed to say. _Serve me by staying, or seve me by going._**

"He's stuck."

**Percy made a silent vow: After the Feast of Fortuna, he would find Annabeth. Bur for now, he had to act. He couldn't like Gaea win. **

**"I'm with you," he told Frank. "Besides, I want to check out the Roman navy."**

Jason scowled, "it's not pretty."

**They were only halfway across the forum when someone called, "Jackson!" Percy turned and saw Octavian jogging toward them.**

**"What do you want?" Percy asked.**

**Octavian smiled. "Already decided that I"m your enemy? That's a rash choice, Percy. I'm a loyal Roman."**

**Frank snarled. "You backstabbing, slimy -" Both Percy and Hazel had to restrain him.**

"Just let him go," Piper urged.

**"Oh, dear," Octavian said. "Hardly the right behavior for a new centurion. Jackson, I only followed you because Reyna charged me with a message. She wants you to report to the _principia _without your - ah - two lackeys, here. Reyna will meet you there after the senate adjourns. She'd like a private word with you before you leave on your quest."**

**"What about?' Percy asked.**

**"I'm sure I don't know." Octavian smiled wickedly. "The last person she had a private talk with a was Jason Grace. And that was the last time I ever saw him. Good luck and good-bye, Percy Jackson."**

"I don't like him," Sally said.

"It's your turn Ares," Aphrodite muttered and handed him the book.

"I hope some action happens in this chapter," Ares said, smiling.

"This will be the last chapter before dinner and bed." Zeus snapped. "So make this quick."

"Food!"

**END OF PERCY 14**


	16. Percy 15

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**PERCY 15**

**Percy was glad Riptide had returned to his pocket. Judging from Reyna's expression, he thought he might need to defend himself.**

Ares smiled, "This might actually be a good chapter."

**She stormed into the ****_principia _****with her purple cloak billowing, and her greyhounds at her feet. Percy was sitting in one of the praetor chairs that he'd pulled to the visitor's side, which maybe wasn't the pro[er thing to do. He started to get up.**

**"Stay seated," Reyna growled.**

"Really? Reyna?" Jason asked. "You won't let anyone sit in one of those chairs unless their a praetor! Why is she letting _him _sit there?"

Piper raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Leo nudged her arm with his elbow.

**"You leave after lunch. We have a lot to discuss."**

**She plunked down her dagger so hard, the jellybean bowl rattled. Aurum and Argentum took their posts on her left and right and fixed their ruby eyes on Percy.**

**"What'd I do wrong?" Percy asked. "If it about the chair -"**

**"It's not you." Reyna scowled. "I ****_hate _****senate meetings. When Octavian get's talking..."**

**Percy nodded. "You're a warrior. Octavian is a talker. Put him in front of the senate, and suddenly ****_he _****becomes the powerful one."**

"That's why I hate him so much," Jason said, "he never let's _me _talk when we're in those meetings."

**She narrowed her eyes. "You're smarter than you look."**

**"Gee, thanks. I hear Octavian might get elected praetor, assuming the camp survives that long."**

**"Which brings us to the subject of doomsday," Reyna said, "and how you might help prevent it. But before I place the fate of Camp Jupiter in your hands, we need to get a few things straight."**

"She sounds like she wants to make him praetor," Athena noticed.

Jason shook his head. "No, she'd just saying that she will need his help."

"Jason, I don't think -" Piper started.

"It's fine Piper," Jason grumbled, "I _know _Reyna. She won't do that when the guy just got there."

**She sat down and put a ring on the table - a band of silver etched with a sword-and-torch design, like Reyna's tattoo. "Do you know what this is?"**

**"The sign of your mom," Percy said. "The...uh, war goddess." He tried to remember the name but he didn't want to get it wrong - something like bologna. Or salami?**

Thalia sighed. "Really?"

**"Bellona, yes," Reyna scrutinized him carefully. 'You don't remember where you saw this ring before? You really don't remember me or my sister, Hylla?"**

**Percy shook his head. "I'm sorry."**

**"It would've been four years ago."**

**"Just before you came to camp."**

**Reyna frowned. "How did you -"**

**"You've got four stripes on your tattoo. Four years."**

"Observant."

**Reyna looked at her forearm. "Of course. It seems so long ago. I supposed you wouldn't recall me even if you ****_had _****your memory. I was just a little girl - one attendant among so many at the spa. BUt you spoke with my sister, just before you and that other one, Annabeth, destroyed our home."**

Annabeth scowled as she thought. "The spa... destroyed it... I-I can't remember."

"Maybe Hero Percy and his Annabeth did other things than you and Luke did." Rachel told her.

Annabeth nodded, but still felt like she should know what Reyna was talking about.

**Percy tried to remember. He really did. For some reason, Annabeth and he had visited a spa and decided to destroy it. He couldn't image why. Maybe they'd hadn't liked the deep tissue massage? Maybe they'd gotten bad manicures?**

**"It's a blank," he said. "Since your dogs aren't attacking me, I hope you'll believe me. I'm telling the truth."**

**Aurum and Argentum snarled. Percy got the feeling they were thinking, _Please lie. Please lie._**

**Reyna tapped the silver ring.**

**"I believe you're sincere," she said. "But not everyone at camp does. Octavian thinks your' a spy. He thinks you were sent here by Gaea to find our weaknesses and distract us. He believe the old legends about the Greeks."**

"Well, the old legends are true, so I guess Octavian is right about something."

**"Old legends?"**

**Reyna's hand rested halfway between her dagger and the jelly beans. Percy had a feeling that if she made a sudden move, she wouldn't be grabbing for the candy.**

**"Some believe the Greeks still exist," she said, "heroes who followed the older forms of the gods. There are legends of battles between Roman and Greek heroes in relatively modern times - the American Civil War, for instance. I have no proof of this, and if our Lares know anything, they refuse to say. But Octavian believe the Greeks are still around, plotting our downfall, working with the forces of Gaea. He thinks you are one of them.**

"Okay," Thalia said, "number one: We _are_ still around. Number two: We aren't spending all our time plotting the downfall of Camp Jupiter, we did even know they existed until a couple months ago. Number three: We would _never _work with Gaea, we have the common enemy." She had to pause to take a breath. "So _there_!"

"Thalia," Jason said quietly.

Thalia stopped, "sorry, Jason. I didn't mean -"

"I know what you meant." Jason forced a smile. "It's alright."

**"Is that what you believe?"**

**"I believe you came from _somewhere,_" she said. "You're important, and dangerous. Two gods have taken a special interest in you since you arrived, so I can't believe you'd work against Olympus... or Rome." She shrugged. "Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps the gods sent you here to test my judgement. But I think... I think you were sent here to make up for the loss of Jason."**

"But he can't take over my spot as Praetor," Jason said, "he's only been there a _day_! I was there for years before I could get that position."

_**Jason**_**... Percy couldn't go very far in this camp without hearing that name.**

"Same here, dude." Leo crossed his arms. "Everywhere you go, all you hear is, Percy this, or Percy that, Percy was best at this, Percy knew this cool trick... It just never stops."_  
_

**"The way you talk about him..." Percy said. "Were you two a couple?"**

Jason paled, he glanced over at Piper. Who gave him a hint of a smile, which was a lie. Inside her, she was just waiting to hear what that Reyna girl would say. If they were a couple... what would Piper do?

**"We might have been," Reyna said, "given the time. Praetors work closely together. I'ts common for them to become romantically involved. But Jason was only praetor for a few months before he disappeared. Ever since then, Octavian has been pestering me, agiting for new elections. I've resisted. I need a partner in power - but I'd prefer someone like Jason. A warrior, not a schemer."**

**She waited. Percy realized that she was ending him a silent invitation.**

**His throat went dry. "Oh... you mean... oh."**

"Smooth."

**"I believe the gods send you to help me," Reyna said. "I don't understand where you came from, any more than I understood it four years ago. But I think your arrival is some sort of repayment. You destroyed my home once. Now you've been sent to save my home. I don't hold a grudge against you for the past, Percy. My sister hates you still, it's true, but Fate is that you work with me for the future. I intend to save this camp."**

"By making him praetor?" Jason scowled.

**The metal dogs glared at him, their mouths frozen in snarl mode. Percy found Reyna's eyes a lot harder to meet.**

**"Look, I'll help," he promised. "But I'm new here. You've got a lot of good people who know this camp better than I do. If we succeed on this quest, Hazel and Frank will be heroes. You could ask one of them -"**

**"Please," Reyna said. "No one will follow a child of Pluto. There's something about that girl... rumors about where she came from... No, she won't do. As for Frank Zhang, he has a good heart, but he hopelessly naive and inexperienced. Besides, it the other found out about his family history at this camp -"**

**"Family history?"**

"That probably wouldn't be very good." Luke agreed.

**"The point is, Percy, _you _are the real power on this quest. _You _are a seasoned veteran. I've seen what you can do. A son of Neptune wouldn't be my first choice, but if you return successfully from this mission, the legion might be saved. The praetorship will be your for the taking. Together, you and I could expand the power of Rome. WE could raise an army and find the Doors of Death, crush Gaea's forces once and for all. You would find me a very helpful... friend."**

"Is it just me, or is she making a move on Seaweed Brain?" Thalia asked.

Grover winced. "I can't tell. But I'm just glad that Annabeth isn't here."

Jason sighed, "She's right, though. She can't control the entire camp by herself. She needs Percy, and he's better than Octavian will ever be."

Piper patted his back softly. "We'll get you back home, Jason. Don't worry."

**She said that word like it could have several meanings, and he could pick which one.**

"Gross."

**Percy's feet started tapping on the floor, anxious to run. "Reyna... I'm honored, and all. Seriously. But I've got a girlfriend. And I don't want power, or a praetorship."**

**Percy was afraid he'd make her mad. Instead she just raised her eyebrows.**

"Surprising."

**"A man who turns down power?" she said. "That's not very Roman of you. Just think about it. In four days, I have to make a choice. If we are to fight off an invasion, we _must _have two strong praetors. I'd prefer you, but if you fail on your quest, or don't come back, or refuse my offer... Well, I'll work with Octavian. I mean to save this camp, Percy Jackson. Things are worse than you realize."**

**Percy remembered what Frank said about the monster attacks getting more frequent. "How bad?"**

**Reyna's nails dug into the table. "Even the senate doesn't know the whole truth. I've asked Octavian not to share his auguries, or we'd have mass panic. He's seen a great army marching south, more than we can possibly defeat. They're led by a giant -"**

**"Alcyoneus?"**

"No, he can't leave Alaska." Annabeth muttered. "It would have to be another giant."

**"I don't think so. If he is truly invulnerable in Alaska, he'd be foolish to come here himself. It must be one of his brothers."**

**"Great," Percy said. "So we've got two giants to worry about."**

**The praetor nodded. "Lupa and her wolves are trying to slow them down, but his force is too strong even for them. The enemy will be here soon - by the Feast of Fortuna at the very latest."**

**Percy shuddered. He'd seen Lupa in action. He knew ll about the wolf goddess and her pack. If this enemy was too powerful for Lupa, Camp Jupiter didn't stand a chance.**

"A little faith?"

**Reyna read his expression. "Yes, it's bad, but not hopeless. If you succeed in bringing back our eagle, if you release Death so we can actually _kill _our enemies, then we stand a chance. ANd there's one more possibility..."**

**Reyna slid the silver ring across the table. "I can't give you much help, but your journey will take you close to Seattle. I'm asking you for a favor, which may also help you. Find my sister Hylla."**

**"Your sister... the one who hates me?"**

**"Oh, yes," Reyna agreed. "She would love to kill you. But show her that ring as a token from me, and she may help you instead."**

"'She may?'" Silena repeated.

"That doesn't sound good," Paul whispered.

**"_May_?"**

**"I can't speak for her. In fact..." Reyna frowned. "In fact I haven't spoken to her in weeks. She's gone silent. With these armies passing through -"**

**"You want me to check on her," Percy guessed. "Make sure she's okay."**

**"Partially, yes. I can't imagine she'd been overcome. My sister has a powerful force. Her territory is well defended. But if you can find her, she could offer you valuable help. It could mean the different between success and failure on your quest. ANd if you tell her what's happening her -"**

**"She might send help?" Percy asked.**

**Reyna didn't answer, but Percy could se the desperation in her eyes. SHe was terrified, grasping for _anything _that could save her camp. No wonder she wanted Percy's help. She was the only praetor. The defense of the camp rested on her shoulders alone.**

"So she wants him to check on her sister?" Rachel thought aloud. "That seems like she's using him."

**Percy took the ring. "I'll find her. Where do I look? What kind of force does she have?"**

**"Don't worry. Just go to Seattle. They'll find you."**

"That's awesome." Percy rolled his eyes. "This guy is just picking up girls left and right."

**That didn't sound encouraging, but Percy slipped the ring onto his leather necklace with his beads and his _probatio _tablet. "Wish me luck."**

**"Fight well, Percy Jackson," Reyna said. "And thank you."**

**He could tell the audience was over. Reyna was having trouble holding herself together, keeping up the image of the confident commander. She needed some time by herself.**

**But at the door of the _principia, _Percy couldn't resist turning. "How did we destroy your home - that spa where you lived?"**

**The metal greyhounds growled. Reyna snapped her fingers to silence them.**

**"You destroyed the power of our mistress," she said. "You freed some prisoners who took revenge on all of us who lived on the island. My sister and I... well, we survived. It was difficult. Bu tin the long run, I think we are better off away from that place."**

**"Still, I'm sorry," Percy said. "If I hurt you, I'm sorry."**

**Reyna gazed at him for a long time, as if trying to translate his words. "An apology? Not very Roman at all, Percy Jackson. You'd make an interesting praetor. I hope you'll think about my offer."**

Jason sighed. "Is it over yet? I'm hungry."

"Food!" Travis and Conner begged.

"It's over," Ares grumbled, "that chapter was _horrible_! No action at all! Just a bunch of flirting."

"I don't know what I'm thinking," Aphrodite muttered, "I'm making everything so confusing."

Poseidon stretched. "Whatever, you won't do anything too horrible. So, let's go eat."

"Agreed." Zeus said. "Everyone is excused for dinner, then bed. We will continue reading in the morning after breakfast."

Everyone left for the dinning hall. Conner and Travis ran, while everyone else walked.

**END OF PERCY 15**


	17. Percy 16

**I just went for a run, and I'm super sweaty and sticky... keep that in mind when you read this.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Dinner was going well... until the awkward questions started.

It started like this:

"So, Annabeth... in your reality are you and Percy a couple?"

Then everything went to hell.

Annabeth dropped her fork. She had to try and keep her composure. She knew that Sally didn't know what it was like in her reality. She didn't know the half of it, or even a quarter. Still, Annabeth figured that she'd get the hint - since Annabeth glared at Percy everytime she caught him looking at her, and she had snapped at him more than a couple times today. Annabeth's first reaction was to say some quick short answer, and let everyone else fill in the details. But, Sally looked too kind staring at her from down the table.

"Not really," Annabeth muttered, not looking up from her dinner. "We were friends once. But that didn't last very long."

Sally looked sad with that answer. She glanced down at the very end of the long table. He wasn't looking up, but you could tell he was listening. "Oh, that's too bad." was all Sally said.

Paul decided to take the time to ask a few of his thousand questions. "So, what is so different about your reality?" He asked anyone from the other reality. "I mean, besides the fact that Percy has that scar."

Percy grumbled something that no one could understand. But you could tell it was some sort of rude comment.

Rachel shot a glare down the table, but Percy wasn't looking. "The main difference was Percy and Luke."

"Luke?" Paul asked.

"The guy who started the entire war," Hermes muttered. He didn't sound angry, just sad.

"Oh," Paul said.

"Yeah," Rachel continued, "Luke wasn't brought to camp until he was twelve. Percy was the one who traveled to camp with Annabeth when they were seven. Percy got the scar from his first quest... which I don't know much about. Still, he was effected by Kronos and his influence. He turned against Camp Half-Blood. Luke stayed... with Annabeth, and saved the world from Kronos." Rachel took a bite of her hot dog. "And that pretty much sums it up."

"That's the complete opposite of our reality," Grover informed Paul.

Paul nodded, he didn't understand some of what Rachel had said. But he got the jist of it. "Alright, I think I have it down."

"So instead of Percy and Annabeth getting together, Luke and Annabeth got together." Aphrodite butted in. She just _had _to announce that. Just in case anyone didn't understand that yet. "Then again, Annabeth and Luke still might've gotten together in the reality where Luke is the Traitor. But I had to keep Percy and Annabeth together, they're just too cute!"

Athena rolled her eyes, "Aphrodite, keep your opinions to yourself."

"I'm going to bed," Percy announced. He stood up from his chair and walked through the corridor to him room.

"He's not going to be happy in the morning," Clarisse grumbled.

"Perfect," Annabeth grumbled. Suddenly her stomach felt full, and she was thankful. "I'm going to bed too." She said. And she made her way out of the room.

* * *

She had another dream, about... him.

No, not Luke. That was the bad part.

The dream was about Hero Percy. He was sitting on the edge of a bed. He was pale and had a dark purple bruise under his left eye.

Even in this condition Annabeth _had _at admire the curve of his features and the kind soft look in his tired eyes. His muscles were rippling under his T-shirt as he stood up. He was taller than most boys that Annabeth had seen, his arms were long and thick from heaving a sword.

He looked troubled. He started to walk out the door, then seemed to think better. He turned around and rest his head against the wall next to the bed. The fact that it sounded like he was crying made Annabeth's heart ache. She immediately hated her feelings. She was Luke's, and he was hers. But the months that they've spent apart made Annabeth crave attention. From anyone and everyone. Just seeing Traitor Luke made her heart flutter, but his constant tendency to glare made her change her mind.

He groaned and sat back down on the bed. He obviously couldn't make his mind up about something. He kept getting up, then sitting back down. Flipping through books, but never reading them. Crawling under the sheets of the bed, and hiding his head under the pillows. Then get back up and make a move toward the door, then hesitating, and going back to the bed.

I watched as he did that after a while. Then the door opened. Jason stepped in.

"Hey," Percy muttered, he was staring at his hands.

"How are you?" Jason asked. He shut the door behind him, and leaned against it.

"I- how am I supposed to be?" Percy asked. He covered his hands with his face.

"Like this," Jason sighed and sat down in front of the door. He looked nervous, his eyes watched Percy with a weary glance. His hands wouldn't stop moving.

"I'm glad I'm acting the way I'm supposed to." Percy grumbled through his hands, it made him sound muffled. "How's Annabeth?"

Jason sighed again, it seemed like the only he could do. "She's recovering. We got some ambrosia in her, she's healing."

Percy brought his hands away from his face. "I should have protected her better."

Jason almost looked like he was going to smile, but just the corners of his mouth twitched. "You did all you could, Percy. Everyone survived. That's all we could ask for. Just one injured... that was nothing compared to what could have happened."

Percy nodded. "Yeah, y-you're right." He looked up at Jason. His green eyes were pleading, "Can I see her?"

Jason opened his mouth, but didn't answer right away. "We'll have to wait a while. Hazel wants to make sure that she's stable."

Percy looked like he was going to cry. I clenched his fists, and his arm muscles tightened.

"Percy." Jason said slowly. "She didn't drown... you weren't in control, and you know it. Gaea was controlling you. She made you believe that Annabeth was you're enemy. She could have done that to anyone."

"I knew what I was doing." Percy said. "That's what was so bad. I _wanted _to... drown her. I blamed her for everything. I -"

"Gaea made you think that, dude." Jason said. "It wasn't you -"

"But I was. I-I wanted to hurt her, Gaea just made he realize how much I wanted to - how much I wanted to blame her for everything." Percy stood up. "I know it isn't her fault that everything happened like this. I just wanted to blame someone, _so _badly. And she was just too close."

"You do love her." Jason seemed to be searching Percy's eyes and body language, waiting for the boy to tense up and attack. "You love, Annabeth. Don't you?"

Percy stared at Jason. A tear streaked down his cheek.

"I-I... I think I do."

"That's good enough for her."

"How do you know?"

"Because she sent me up here to ask you that." Jason stood up, and grabbed the hand of the door. "I was just the messenger." Then he walked out the door, leaving Percy alone in his room again.

* * *

Annabeth woke up with Rachel sitting on the edge of her bed.

"What are you doing?" Annabeth asked.

"I'm waiting for you to get up, I wanted to talk to you. Alone." Rachel didn't smile when she talked, something was wrong.

"Okay," she swung her legs out from under the covers, and over the edge of the bed. The alarm clock beside her bed read, _6:34. _"Why do you have to talk to me so early?"

"It's the only time we're away from everyone." She answered. "And I couldn't sleep."

"Alright, what do you want to talk about?"

Rachel crawled up next to Annabeth, she sighed. "I had a dream."

_So did I, _Annabeth almost said. But decided against it. She didn't need to tell anyone about the dreams she's been having about Hero Percy. The one she just had especially. She was confused, and didn't understand why she was seeing those scenes.

"What about?"

"Luke," Rachel said slowly. She looked at Annabeth like she was expecting a reaction. But Annabeth didn't react. She waited for Rachel to continue.

"Well. Luke didn't make it in the Roman camp." Rachel said.

"What? Why not?" Annabeth's palms started to sweat.

"Well, he was coming into camp the gorgons behind him. Just like Hero Percy. But he refused to carry Juno. She pleaded with him, like she did with Perseus. But he wouldn't listen. Hazel and Frank weren't at the entrance, it was two other people. They saw Luke, and tried to let him get inside the camp. But the gorgons were right behind him.

"They told Luke that they would try to save him. But Luke wouldn't listen to them. He thought they were a test too. He... he disarmed them, and left them to the gorgons. Then he went inside the camp entrance by himself. He got into the camp, but Juno was there waiting for him. All of Camp Jupiter was surrounding her. And she told them that Luke was the danger, and that he was sent from Gaea to spy on the camp. So they threw him out."

Rachel sighed. "Then I woke up. I don't know what happened next."

"So we can't make friends with the Romans," Annabeth said slowly. Luke. His stupid ideas, he's so untrusting. Even when he has no memory. He ruined everything. "We can't..."

"I'm sorry, Annabeth."

"We're screwed."

* * *

**PERCY 16**

"Hermes, you're reading next." Ares grumbled. "Have fun."

Hermes rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

**Lunch felt like a funeral party. Everybody ate. People talked in hushed tones. Nobody seemed particularly happy. The other campers kept glancing over at Percy like he was the corpse of honor.**

**Reyna made a brief speech wishing them luck. Octavian ripped open a Beanie Baby and pronounced grave omens and hard times ahead, but predicted the camp would be saved by an unexpected hero (whose initials were probably OCTAVIAN). Then other camps went off to their after noon classes - gladiator fighting, Latin lessons, paintball with ghosts, eagle trained, and a dozen other activities that sounded better than a suicide quest. Percy followed Hazel and Frank to the barracks to pack.**

"Yeah like Percy has a whole load to pack," Thalia rolled her eyes, "he got to camp _yesterday_."

**Percy didn't have much. He'd cleaned up his backpack from his trip south and had kept most of his Bargain Mart supplies. **

"Minus his pillow pet."

**He had a fresh pair of jeans and an extra purple t-shirt from the camp quartermaster, plus some nectar, ambrosia, snacks, a little mortal money, and camping supplies. At lunch, Reyna had handed him a scroll of introduction from the praetor and camp senate. Supposedly, and retired legionnaires they met on the trip would help them if shown this letter.**

"That could come in handy," Leo whistled.

**He also kept his leather necklace with the beads, a silver ring, and the _probatio _tablet, and of course he had Riptide in his pocket. He folded his tattered orange T-shirt and left it on his bunk.**

**"I'll be back," he said. He felt pretty stupid talking to a T-shirt, but he was really thinking of Annabeth, and his old life. "I'm not leaving for good. But I have to help these guys. They took me in. They deserve to survive."**

Thalia shook her head, "Percy, will you ever just let people deal with their own problems?"

"What wrong with helping them?" Will asked her.

"Nothing," Thalia scowled, "it's just that he just got done with a war, and now he's getting himself in another."

"We're already in another." Jason murmured. "He doesn't really have a choice."

Annabeth thought about the dream that she had that night. Of Jason and Percy. How beat up and tired Percy looked, how he kept pacing in his room.

**The T-shirt didn't answer, thankfully.**

"Who would ever even consider that it would?"

**One of their roommates, Bobby, gave them a ride to the border of the valley on Hannibal the elephant. From the hilltops, Percy could see everything below. The Little Tiber snaked across golden pastures where the unicorns were grazing. The temples and forums of New Rome gleamed in the sunlight. On the Field of Mars, engineers were hard at work, pulling down the remains of last night's fort and setting up barricades for a game of deathball. A normal day for Camp Jupiter - but on the norther horizen, storm clouds were gathering. Shadows moved across the hills, and Percy imagined the face of Gaea getting closer and closer.**

_**Work with me for the future,**_** Reyna had said. _I intend to save this camp._**

"Yeah..."

**Looking down at the valley. Percy understood why she cared so much. Even though he was new to Camp Jupiter, he felt a fierce desire to protect this place. A safe haven where demigods could build their lives - he wanted that to be part of his future. Maybe not the way Reyna imagined, but if he could share this place with Annabeth...**

"She's kinda stuck to Camp Half-Blood." Piper muttered. "I don't think she'd just move away like that. Even if it was a safe place."

**They got off the elephant. Bobby wished them a safe journey. Hannibal wrapped the three questers with his trunk. Then the elephant taxi service headed back into the valley.**

**PErcy sighed. He turned to Hazel and Frank and tried to think of something upbeat to say.**

**A familiar voice said, "IDs please."**

"Really?" Beckendorf asked. "He's there too?"

"Terminus is everywhere," Jason sighed.

**A statue of Terminus appeared at the summit of the hill. The god's marble face frowned irritable. "Well? Come along!"**

**"You again?" Percy asked. "I thought you just guarded the city."**

**Terminus huffed. "Glad to see you, too, Mr. Rule Flouter. Normally, yes, I guard the city, but for international departures, I like to provide extra security at the camp borders. You really should've allowed two hours before you planned your departure time, you know. But we'll have to make do. Now, come over here so I camp pat you down."**

Paul raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Sally smiled at his expression.

**"But you don't have -" Percy stopped himself. "Uh, sure."**

**He stood next to the armless statue. Terminus conducted a rigorous mental pat down.**

**"You seem to be clean," Terminus decided. "Do you have anything to declare?"**

**"Yes," Percy said. "I declare this is stupid."**

Travis and Conner started to giggle.

Sally rolled her eyes, "for some reason I knew he was going to say that."

"I've always wanted to say that!" Travis laughed doubling over in pain.

**"Hmph! _Probatio _tablet: Percy Jackson, Fifth Cohort, son of Neptune. Fine, go. Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto. Fine. And foreign currency or, ahem, precious metals to declare?"**

**"No," she muttered.**

**"Are you sure?" Terminus asked. "Because last time -"**

**"No!"**

**"Well, this is a grumpy bunch," said the god. "Quest travelers! Always in a rush. Now, let's see - Frank Zhang. Ah! Centurion? Well done, Frank. And that haircut is regulation perfect. I approve! Off you go, then, Centurion Zhang. Do you need any directions today?"**

**"No. No, I guess not."**

Jason rolled his eyes. "Terminus won't listen."

**"Just down to the BART station," Terminus said anyway. "Change trains at Twelfth Street on Oakland. You want Fruitvale Station. From there, you can walk or take the bus to Alameda."**

**"You guys don't have a magical BART train or something?" Percy asked.**

**"Magic trains!" Terminus scoffed.**

"Like in Harry Potter!"

**"You'll be wanting your own security lane and a pass to the executive lounge next. Just travel safely, and watch out for Polybotes. Talk about scofflaws - bah! I wish I could throttle him with my bare hands."**

**"Wait - who?" Percy asked.**

**Terminus made a straining expression, like he was flexing his nonexistent biceps. "Ah, well. Just be careful of him. I imagine he can smell a son of Neptune a mile away. Out you go, now. Good luck!"**

"You can't just say 'good luck,' after you tell him he's pretty much going to get hunted down." Paul muttered.

**An invisible force kicked them across the boundary. When Percy looked back, Terminus was gone. In fact, the entire valley was gone. The Berkeley Hills seemed to be free of any Roman camp.**

**Percy looked at his friends. "Any idea what Terminus was talking about? What for... Political something or other?"**

Poseidon sighed, "he just really can't get the names right."

**"Poh-LIB-uh-tease?" Hazel sounded out the name carefully. "Never heard of him."**

**"Sounds Greek," Frank said. **

**"That narrows it down." Percy sighed. "Well, we probably just appeared on the smell radar for every monster within five miles. We'd better get moving."**

**It took them two hours to reach the docks in Alameda. Compared to Percy's last few months, the trip was easy. No monsters attacked. Nobody looked at Percy loke he was a homeless wild child.**

"Surprising." Luke grumbled.

**Frank had stored his spear, bow, and quiver in a long bag made for skies. Hazel's cavalry sword was wrapped in a bedroll slung on her back. Together the three of them looked like normal high schoolers on their way to an overnight trip. They walked to Rockridge Station, bought their tickets with mortal money, and hopped on the BART train.**

**They got off in Oakland. They had to walk through the same rough neighborhoods, but nobody bothered them. Whenever the local gang members came close enough to look in Percy's eyes, they quickly veered away.**

"That's scary," Rachel made a face.

**He's perfected his wolf stare over the last few months - a look that said: _However bad you think you are, I'm worse. _**

"Is that a thing that you guys practice over there?" Leo asked Jason, his eyebrows raised.

Jason smirked, "maybe."

"That's terrifying." Travis muttered.

**After strangling sea monsters and running over gorgons in a police car, Percy wasn't scared of gangs. Pretty must nothing in the mortal world scared him anymore.**

**In the afternoon, they made it to the Alameda docks. Percy looked out over San Francisco Bay and breathed in the salty sea air. Immediately he felt better. This was his father's domain. Whatever they faced, he'd have the upper hand as long as they were at sea.**

**Dozens of boats were moored at the docks - everything from fifty-foot yachts to ten-foot fishing boats. He scanned the slips for some sort of magic vessel - a tireme, maybe, or a dragon-headed warship like he's seen in his dreams.**

Leo laughed. "That's our thing, dude."

**"Um... you guy know what we're looking for?"**

**Hazel and Frank shook their heads.**

**"I didn't even know we _had _a navy." Hazel sounded as if she wished there wasn't one.**

**"Oh..." Frank pointed. "You don't think...?"**

**At the end of the dock was a tiny boat, like a dinghy, covered in a purple tarp.**

Conner laughed. "Dinghy."

**Embroidered in faded gold along the canvas was S.P.Q.R.**

"Oh, that's depressing." Luke smirked.

"I think we got the better transportation option." Piper muttered.

"Flying dragon vs. a little dinghy..." Leo scratched his chin. "Yeah, the dragon wins."

**Percy's confidence wavered. "No way."**

**He uncovered the boat, his hands working the knots like he'd been doing this his whole life. Under the tarp was an old steel rowboat with no oars. The boat had been painted dark blue at one point, but the hull was so crusted with tar and salt it looked like one massive nautical bruise.**

**On the bow, the name _Pax _was still readable, lettered in gold. Painted eyes drooped sadly at the water level, as if the boat were about to fall alseep. On board were two benches, with on end tied to the mooring. At the bottom of the boat, a plastic bag and two empty Coke cans floated in several inches of scummy water.**

"Gross."

**"Behold," Frank said. "The mighty Roman navy."**

**"There's got to be a mistake," Hazel said. "This is a piece of junk."**

**Percy imagined Octavian laughing at them, but he decided not to let it get him down. The _Pax _was still a boat. He jumped aboard, and the hull hummed under his feet, responding to his presence. He gathered up the garbage in the cooler and put it on the dock. He willed the scummy water to flow over the sides and out of the boat. Then he pointed at the steel wool and it flew across the floor, scrubbing and polishing so fast, the steel began to smoke. When it was done, the boat was clean. Percy pointed at the rope, and it untied itself from the dock.**

"Hey, Jason?" Conner asked. "Can you, like, do that with airplanes?"

"Yeah, can you control airplanes?" Travis's eyes twinkled with a scary curiosity.

"Um... I don't know." Jason muttered, "I've never tried."

"Oh," Conner slumped. "That sucks."

**No oars, but that didn't matter. Percy could tell that the boat was ready to move, just awaiting his command.**

**"This'll do," he said. "Hop in."**

**Hazel and Frank looked a little stunned, but they climbed aboard. Hazel seemed especially nervous. When they had settled on the seats, Percy concentrated, and the boat slipped away from the dock.**

**_Juno was right, you know. _The sleepy voice of Gaea whispered in Percy's mind, startling him so badly the boat rocked. _You could have chosen a new life in the sea. You would have been safe from me there. Now it's too late. You chose pain and misery. You're part of my plan, now - my important little pawn._  
**

**"Get off my ship," Percy growled.**

**"Uh, what?" Frank asked.**

Some people snickered.

"Poor Frank."

**Percy waiting, but the voice of Gaea was silent.**

**"Nothing," he said. "Let's see what this rowboat can do."**

**He turned the boat to the north, and in no time they were speeding along at fifteen knots, heading for the Golden Gate Bridge.**

"That was a short chapter," Hermes muttered.

"It's my turn," Apollo sighed and clicked off his music.

**END OF PERCY 16**


	18. Hazel 17

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**HAZEL 17**

**Hazel hated boats.**

Apollo read.

**She got seasick so easily, it was more like sea plague.**

"A daughter of Pluto shouldn't be at ease at sea," Zeus muttered.

**She hadn't mentioned this to Percy. She didn't want to mess up the quest, but she remembered how horrible her life had been when she and her mother had moved to Alaska - no roads. Everything they went, they'd had to take the train or a boat.**

"Oh, that must have sucked for her." Leo muttered.

**She hoped her condition might have improved since she'd come back from the dead. Obviously not. And this little boat, the _Pax, _looked so much like that other boat they'd had in Alaska. It brought back bad memories...**

**As soon as they left the dock, Hazel's stomach started to churn. By the time they passed the piers along the San Francisco Embarcadero, she felt so woozy she thought she was hallucinating.**

"I couldn't imagine how bad that must feel," Percy whispered, he was tapping his knee with his index finger. "To get sick at sea... that just seems so-so crazy to me."

"Well it's not like you're going to get it," Rachel grumbled.

"Well," Percy muttered looking over at Rachel, "I guess it's like how I get nervous in the air."

"But she get's sick," Jason realized.

"Jeez, you guys are useless when you're in any other element other than your own." Leo smirked. "That must suck."

Luke rolled his eyes, "how would you feel about drowning, Valdez? Can't use your fire, everything wet... It would be your own personal hell."

"Luke." Thalia snapped, she could see that start of something in Luke's eyes, a darkness that she knew too well. "Shut up before I make you." She growled, trying to put as much emotion into her words, to really tell him that she wasn't going to put up with him.

Luke didn't seem to really get the message, he just smirked at her glares.

**They sped by a pack of sea lions lounging on the docks, and she swore she saw an old homeless guy sitting among them. From across the water, the old man pointed a bony finger at Percy and mouthed something like _Don't even think about it._**

Poseidon smirked.

"What is that about, Poseidon?" Sally asked.

Poseidon shook his head, "a joke between the two of us."

Sally raised her eyebrows, but the way Poseidon was smiling, she decided not to push him.

**"Did you see that?" Hazel asked.**

**Percy's face was red in the sunset. "Yeah. I've been here before. I... don't know. I think I was looking for my girlfriend."**

**"Annabeth," Frank said. "You mean, on your way to Camp Jupiter?"**

**Percy frowned. "No. Before that."**

Grover and Thalia shared a sad smile. They knew what he was talking about, even when he didn't.

**He scanned the city like he was still looking for Annabeth until they passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and turned north.**

**Hazel tried to settle her stomach by thinking of pleasant things - the euphoria she'd felt last night when they'd won the war games, riding Hannibal into the enemy keep, Frank's sudden transformation into a leader. He'd looked like a different person when he'd scaled the walls, calling on the Fifth Cohort to attack. They way he'd swept the defenders off the battlements... Hazel had never seen him like that before. She'd been so proud to pin the centurion's badge on his shirt.**

**Then her thoughts turned to Nico. Before they had left, her brother had pulled her aside to wish her luck. Hazel hoped he'd stay at Camp Jupiter to help defend it, but he said he'd be leaving today - heading back to the Underworld.**

"You really are a secluded person." Beckendorf said to Nico. "How can you stand that?"

Nico shrugged, "I was confused back then." He tried to make the sentence sound playful and light, but it came out sounding somber and even more depressing.

**"Dad needs all the help he can get," he said. "The Fields of Punishment look like a prison riot. The Furies can barely keep order. Besides... I'm going to try to track some of the escaping souls. Maybe I can find the Doors of Death from the other side."**

**"Be careful," Hazel said. "If Gaea is guarding those doors -"**

**"Don't worry." Nico smiled. "I know how to stay hidden. Just take care of yourself. The closer you get to Alaska... I'm not sure if it'll make the blackouts better or worse."**

**Take care of myself, Hazel thought bitterly. As if there was any way the quest would end well for her.**

**"If we free Thanatos," Hazel told Nico, "I may never see you again. Thanatos will send me back to the Underworld..."**

**Nico shook her hand. His fingers were so pale, it was hard to believe Hazel and he shared the same godly father.**

"Well technically you don't," Athena said.

**"I wanted to give you a chance at Elysium," he said. "That was the best I could do for you. But now, I wish there was another way. I don't want to lose my sister."**

**He didn't say the word _again, _but Hazel knew that's what he was thinking. For once, she didn't feel jealous of Bianca di Angelo. She just wished that she had more time with Nico and her friends at camp. She didn't want to die a second time.  
**

"Hazel..." Nico whispered, and Annabeth felt what was left of her heart start to splinter.

**"Good luck, Hazel," he said. Then he melted into the shadows - just like her father had seventy years before.**

**The boat shuddered, jolting Hazel back to the present. They entered the Pacific currents and skirted the rocky coastline of Marin County.**

**Frank held his sky bag across his lap. It passed over Hazel's knees like the safety bar on an amusement ride, which made her think of the time Sammy had taken her to the carnival during Mardi Gras... She quickly pushed that memory aside. She couldn't risk a blackout.**

**"You okay?" Frank asked. "You look queasy."**

"You just noticed?"

**"Seasickness," she confessed. "I didn't think it would be this bad."**

**Frank pouted like it was somehow his fault. He started digging in his pack. "I've got some nectar. And some crackers. Um, my grandmother says ginger helps... I don't have any of that, but -"**

"He's rambling," Athena pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Isn't it cute?" Aphrodite smiled.

Athena rolled her eyes.

**"It's okay." Hazel mustered a smile. "That's sweet of you, though."**

**Franks pulled out a saltine. It snapped in his fingers. Cracker exploded everywhere.**

**Hazel laughed. "Gods, Frank... Sorry. I shouldn't laugh."**

**"Uh, no problem," he said sheepishly. "Guess you don't want one."**

**Percy wasn't paying attention. He kept his eyes fixed on the shoreline. As they passed Stinson Beach, he pointed inland, where a single mountain rose about the green hills.**

**"That looks familiar," he said.**

**"Mount Tam," Frank said. "Kids at camp are always talking about it. Big battle happened at the summit, at the Titan base."**

**Percy frowned. "Were either of you there?"**

**"No," Hazel said. "That was back in August, before I - um, before I got to camp. Jason told me about it. The legion destroyed the enemy's palace and about a million monsters. Jason had to battle Krios - hand-to-hand combat with a Titan, if you can imagine."**

Piper raised her eyebrow, "Impressive."

The corners of Jason's mouth turned up, just a hint of a smile, not at actual one. "It's still fuzzy," Jason admitted, "but I do remember most of it."

Annabeth felt herself scowling, but she wasnt' sure why.

**"I can imagine," Percy muttered.**

**Hazel wasn't sure what he meant, but Percy _did _remind her of Jason, even thought they looked nothing alike. They had the same aura of quiet power, plus a kind of sadness, like they'd seen their destiny and knew it was only a matter of time before they met a monster they couldn't beat.**

"Don't talk that way, Hazel, please." Nico muttered.

Thalia looked suspiciously at Nico, but kept her mouth shut. She saw Sally Jackson's mouth pull into a tight line, and Paul squeezed her hand.

**Hazel understood the feeling. She watched the sun set in the ocean, and she knew she had less than a week to live. Whether or not their quest succeeded, her journey would be over by the Feast of Fortuna.**

**She thought about her first death, and the months leading up to it - her house in Seward, the six months she'd spent in Alaska, taking that little boat into Resurrection Bay at night, visiting that cursed island.**

**She realized her mistake too late. Her vision went black, and she slipped back in time.**

"Perfect. Great timing."

**Their rental house was a clapboard box suspended on pilings over the bay. When the train from Anchorage rolled by, the furniture shook and the pictures rattled on the walls. At night, Hazel fell asleep to the sound of icy water lapping against the rocks under the floorboards. The wind made the building creak and groan.**

**They had one room, with a hot plate and an icebox for a kitchen. One corner was curtained off for Hazel, where she kept her mattress and storage chest. She'd pinned her drawings and old photos of New Orleans on the walls, but that only made her homesickness worse.**

"Then why put them up?" Travis asked.

**Her mother was rarely home. She didn't go by Queen Marie anymore. She was just Marie, the hired help. She'd cook and clean all day at the diner on Third Avenue for fisherman, railroad workers, and the occasional crew of navy men. She'd come home smelling like Pine-Sol and fried fish.**

**At night, Marie Levesque would transform. The Voice took over, giving Hazel orders, putting her to work on their horrible project.**

"What does she mean, Nico?" Athena sent a cruel eye towards the son of Hades. Nico didn't seem to really be affected by it, which surprised Annabeth.

"I don't know, she never _really _told me." He ran a hand through his hair. "She'd hinted though... but she never got to the point."

"That's useful," Zeus grumbled.

**Winter was the worst. The Voice stayed longer because of the constant darkness. The cold was so intense, Hazel thought she would never be warm again.**

**When summer came Hazel couldn't get enough sun. Everyday of summer vacation, she stayed away from home as long as she could, but she couldn't walk around town. It was a small community. The other kids spread rumors about her - the witch's child who lived in the old shack by the docks. It she came too close, the kids jeered at her or threw bottles and rocks. The adults weren't much better.**

"That's poor girl," Sally whispered, "she's so nice. She doesn't deserve that kind of treatment."

"People do stupid things when they are afraid," Poseidon informed.

"Yes, your right."

**Hazel could've made their lives miserable.**

"Why didn't she?" Rachel wondered. "I mean, I understand that she wants to be good and all but eventually being picked on like that must make her want to fight back."

**She could've given them diamonds, pearls, or gold. Up here in Alaska gold was easy. There was so much in the hills, Hazel could've buried the town without half trying. But she didn't really hate the locals for pushing her away. She couldn't blame them.**

**She spent the day walking the hills. She attracted ravens. They'd caw at her from the trees and wait for the shiny things that always appeared in her footsteps. The curse never seem to bother them. She saw brown bears, too, but they kept their distance. When Hazel got thirsty, she'd find a snowmelt waterfall and drink cold, clean water until her throat hurt. She'd climbed as high as she could and let the sunshine warm her face.**

"Seems almost like paradise up there," Paul muttered.

**It wasn't a bay way to pass time, but she knew eventually she'd have to go home.**

**Sometimes she thought about her father - that strange pale man in the silver-and-black suit. Hazel wished he'd come back and protect her from her mother, maybe use his powers to get rid of that awful Voice. If he was a god, he should be able to do that.**

**She looked up at the ravens and imagined they were his emissaries. Their eyes dark and maniacal, like his. She wondered if they reported her movements to her father.**

"Raven are liked with death," Annabeth muttered, "that's not a bad theory."

**But Pluto had warned her mother about Alaska. It was a land beyond the gods. He couldn't protect them here. If he was watching Hazel, he didn't speak to her. She often wondered if she had imagined him. Her old life seemed as distant as the radio programs she listened to, or President Roosevelt talking about the war. Occasionally the locals would discuss the Japanese and some fighting on the outer island of Alaska, but even that seemed far away - not nearly as scary as Hazel's problem.**

**One day in midsummer, she stayed out later than usual, chasing a horse.**

"Are there horses in Alaska?" Silena asked. "I didn't think there were."

Beckendorf shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe someone let one go or something."

**She'd seen it first when she had heard crunching sounds behind her. She turned and saw a gorgeous tan roan stallion with a black mane - just like the one she'd ridden her last day in New Orleans, when Sammy had taken her to the stables. It could've been the same horse, though that was impossible. It was eating something off the path, and for a second, Hazel had the crazy impression it was munching one of the gold nuggets that always appeared in her wake.**

Poseidon raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, he wasn't going to spoil it.

**"Hey, fella," she called.**

**The horse looked at her warily.**

**Hazel figured it must belong to someone. It was too well groomed, its coat too sleek for a wild horse. If she could get close enough... What? She could find its owner? Return it? **

**No, she thought. I just want to ride again.**

"Yeah, ride a wild horse." Luke chuckled. "That's a _extremely _smart thing to do."_  
_

**She got within ten feet, and the horse bolted. She spent the rest of the afternoon trying to catch it - getting maddeningly close before it ran away again.**

**She lost track of time, which was easy to do with the summer sun staying up so long. Finally she stopped at a creek for a drink and looked at the sky, thinking it must be around three in the afternoon. Then she heard a train whistle from down in the valley. She realized it had to be the evening run to Anchorage, which meant it was ten at night.**

"Holy crap!" Conner whistled. "She _really _lost track of time."

**She glared at the horse, grazing peacefully across the creek. "Are you trying to get me in trouble?"**

**The horse whinnied. Then... Hazel must've imagined it. The horse sped away in a blur of black and tan, faster than forked lightning - almost too quick for her eyes to register. Hazel didn't understand how, but the horse was _definitely _gone.**

"How is that possible?" Jason asked.

**She stared at the spot where the horse had stood. A wisp of steam curled from the ground.**

**The train whistle echoed through the hills again, and she realized how must trouble she was in. She ran for home.**

**Her mother wasn't there. For a second Hazel felt relieved. Maybe her mom had had to work late. Maybe tonight they wouldn't have to make the journey.**

"Journey?"

**Then she saw the wreckage. Hazel's curtain was pulled down. Her storage chest was open and her few clothes strewn across the floor. Her mattress had been shredded as if a lion had attacked it. Worst of all, her drawing pad was ripped to pieces. Her colored pencils were all broken. Pluto's birthday gift, Hazel's only luxury, had been destroyed. Pinned to the wall was a note in red on the last piece of drawing paper, in writing that was no her mother's: _Wicked girl. I"m waiting at the island. Don't disappoint me. _Hazel sobbed in despair. She wanted to ignore the summons. She wanted to run away, but there was nowhere to go. Besides, her mother was trapped. The Voice had promised that they were almost done with their task. If Hazel kept helping, her mother would be freed. Hazel didn't trust the Voice, but she didn't see any other option.**

"She's in a tight spot."

"I wonder what the 'task' is."

"Probably something horrible."

**She took the rowboat - a little skiff her mother had bought with a few gold nuggets from a fisherman, who had a tragic accident with his nets the next day. They had only one boat, but Hazel's mother seemed capable on occasion of reaching the island without any transportation. Hazel had learned not to ask about that.**

"Creepy."

**Even in midsummer, chunks of ice swirled in Resurrection Bay. Seals glided by her boat, looking at Hazel hopefully, sniffing for fish scraps. In the middle of the bay, the glistening back of a whale raked the surface.**

"Okay, that's awesome." Percy smirked. "As horrible as her situation is, it's awesome to be able to see seals and whales everyday."

"For you it would be." Annabeth muttered. "But maybe not for the rest of us."

"Yeah, your right."

For some reason, Annabeth blushed. She wasn't used to hearing Percy say that she was right, and for some reason she took it as a compliment. _Don't be stupid, _she told herself, _he's still the same old Perseus. The one that tried to kill everyone._

**As always, the rocking of the boat make her stomach queasy. She stopped one to be sick over the side. The sun was finally going down over the mountains, turning the sky blood red.**

**She rowed toward the bay's mouth. After several minutes, she turned and looked ahead. Right in front of her, out of the fog, the island materialized - an acre of pine trees, boulders, and snow with a black sand beach.**

**If the island had a name, she didn't know it. Once Hazel had made the mistake of asking the townsfolk, but they had stared at her like she was crazy.**

"They must not be able to see it," Piper reasoned, "the MIST and stuff."

**"Ain't no island there," said on old fisherman, "or my boat would've run into it a thousand times."**

**Hazel was about fifty yards from the shore when a raven landed on the boat's stern. It was a greasy black bird almost as large as an eagle, with a jagged beak like an obsidian knife.**

**Its eyes glittered with intelligence, so Hazel wasn't must surprised when it talked.**

"What?"

**"Tonight," it croaked. "The last night."**

**Hazel let the oars rest. She tried to decide if the raven was warning her, or advising her, or making a promise.**

**"Are you from my father?" she asked.**

**The raven tilted its head. "The last night. Tonight."**

"That's good, ignore the quest and repeat yourself..."

**It pecked at the boat's prow and flew toward the island.**

_**The last night, **_**Hazel told herself. She decided to take it as a promise. _No matter what she tells me, I will make this the last night._****  
**

**The gave her enough strength to row on The boat slid ashore, cracking through a fine layer of ice and black silt.**

**Over the months, Hazel and her mother had worn a path from the beach into the woods. She hiked the island, careful to stick to the trail. The island was full of dangers, both natural and magical. Bears rustled in the undergrowth. Glowing white spirits, vaguely human, drifted through the trees. **

"That's place sounds like something from a movie." Travis noted.

"I want to go there," Conner grumbled.

"Me too," Travis agreed.

"You two are stupid," Thalia said.

**Hazel didn't know what they were, but she knew they were watching her, hoping she'd stray into their clutches.**

**At the center of the island, two massive black boulders formed the entrance to a tunnel. Hazel made her way into the cavern she called the Heart of the Earth.**

**It was the only truly warm place Hazel had found since moving to Alaska. The air smelled freshly turned soil. The sweet, most heat made Hazel feel drowsy, but she fought to stay awake. She imagined that if she feel asleep here, her body would sink into the earthen floor and turn to mulch.**

"Eww."

**The cave was as large as a church sanctuary, like the St. Louis Cathedray back home on Jackson Square. The walls glowed with luminescent mosses - green, red, and purple. The whole chamber thrummed with energy, an echoing _boom, boom, boom _that reminded Hazel of a heartbeat. Perhaps it was just the sea's waves battering the island, but Hazel didn't think so. The place was alive. The earth was asleep, but it pulsated with power. Its dreams were so malicious, so fitful, that Hazel had felt herself losing her grip on reality.**

**Gaea wanted to consume her identity, just as she'd overwhelmed Hazel's mother. She wanted to consume every human, god, and demigod that dared to walk across her surface.**

"That's night."

_**You all belong to me, **_**Gaea murmured like a lullaby. _Surrender. Return to the earth._**

**_No, _Hazel thought. _I'm Hazel Levesque. You can't have me._**

**Maire Levesque stood over the pit. In six months, her hair had turned as gray as lint. She'd lost weight. HEr hands were gnarled from hard work. She wore snow boots and waders and a stained white shirt from the diner. She never would have been mistaken for a queen.**

**"It's too late." Her mother's frail voice echoed through the cavern. Hazel realized with a shock that it was _her _voice - not Gaea's.**

**"Mother?"**

**Marie turned. Her eyes were open. She was awake and conscious This should have made Hazel feel relieved, but it made her nervous. The Voice had never relinquished control while they were on the island.**

**"What have I done?" her mother asked helplessly. "Oh, Hazel, what did I do to you?"**

"Um, a lot actually," Leo muttered. "You pretty must made her life miserable... so, yeah."

"Leo, please."

"Sorry, Dad."

**She stared in horror at the thing in the pit.**

**For months they'd been coming here, four or five nights a week as the Voice required. Hazel had cried, she'd collapsed with exhaustion, she'd pleaded, she'd given in to despair. But the Voice that controlled her mother had urged her on relentlessly. _Bring valuables from the earth. Use your powers, child. Bring my most valuable possession to me._**

**At first, her efforts had brought only scorn. The fissure in the earth had filled with gold and precious stones, bubbling in a think soup of petroleum. It looked like a dragon's treasure dumped in a tar pit. Then, slowly, a rock spire began to grow like a massive tulip bulb. It emerged so gradually, night after night, that Hazel had trouble judging its progress. Often she concentrated at night on raising it, until her mind and soul were exhausted, but she didn't notice any difference. Yet the spire _did _grow.**

Silena shivered, "that's horrible."

**Now Hazel could see how much she'd accomplished. The thing was two stories high, a swirl of rocky tendrils jutting like a spear tip from the oily morass. Inside, something glowed with heat. Hazel couldn't see it clearly, but she knew what was happening. A body was forming out of silver and gold, with oil for blood and raw diamonds for a heart. Hazy was resurrecting the son of Gaea. He as almost ready to wake.**

"She made the giant in Alaska?" Paul asked.

"At Gaea's command," Nico pointed out.

"I feel so bad for her," Sally sighed.

**Her mother fell to her knees and wept. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I'm so sorry." She looked helpless and alone, horribly sad. Hazel should have been furious. _Sorry? _She'd lived in fear of her mother for years. She'd been scolded and blamed for her mother's unfortunate life. She'd been treated like a freak, wilderness, and worked like a slave by a merciless evil goddess. _Sorry _didn't cut it. She should have despised her mother.**

**But she couldn't make herself feel angry.**

**Hazel knelt and put her arm around her mother. There was hardly anything left of her - just skin and bones and stained work clothes. Even in the warm cave, she was trembling.**

**"What can we do?" Hazel said. "Tell me how to stop it."**

"I don't think they can," Hades said. "What's done is done."

**Her mother shook her head. "She let me go. She knows it's too late. There's nothing we can do."**

**"She... the Voice?" Hazel was afraid to get her hopes up, but if her mother was really freed, then nothing else mattered. They could get out of here. They could run away, back to New Orleans. "Is she gone?"**

**Her mother glanced fearfully around the cave. "No, she's here. There's only one more thing she needs from me. For that, she needs my free will."**

**Hazel didn't like the sound of that.**

"Yes, you shouldn't like that."

**"Let's get out of here," she urged. "That thing in the rock... it's going to hatch."**

"Oh, that's creepy." Silena cringed and leaned into Beckendorf.

"Did she have to use that word?" Leo asked. "Why can't she use like... I don't know. Anything but that."

**"Soon," her mother agreed. She looked at Hazel so tenderly... Hazel couldn't remember the last time she'd seen that kind of affection in her mother's eyes. She felt a sob building in her chest.**

**"Pluto warned me," her mother said. "He told me my wish was too dangerous."**

**"Your - your wish?"**

**"All the wealth under the earth," she said. "He controlled it. I wanted it. I was so tired of being poor, Hazel. So tired. First I summoned him... just to see if I could. I never thought the old _gris-gris _spell would work on a god. But he courted me, told me I was brave and beautiful..." She stared at her bent, calloused hands. "When you were born, he was so pleased and proud. He promised me anything. He swore on the River Styx. I asked for all the riches he had. He warned me the greediest wishes were the greatest sorrows. But I insisted. I imaged living like a queen - the wife of a god! And you... you received the curse."**

"That's horrible," Piper said, "her own mother cursed her."

"Without realizing it," Will pointed out.

"She was warned," Grover muttered, "she was warned, but she ignored Pluto. So she was punished."

"More like Hazel was punished." Silena said. "She wasn't even in it."

**Hazel felt as if she were expanding to the breaking point, just like that spire in the pit. Her misery would soon become too great to hold inside, and her skin would shatter. "That's why I can find things under the earth?"**

**"And why they bring only sorrow." Her mother gestured listlessly around the cavern. "That's how _she _found me, how she was able to control me. I was angry with your father. I blamed him for my problems. I blamed you. I was so bitter, I listened to Gaea's voice. I was a fool."**

**"There's got to be something we can do," Hazel said. "Tell me how to stop her."**

**The ground trembled. Gaea's disembodied voice echoed through the cave.**

"Yay."

_**My eldest rises, **_**she said, _the most precious thing in the earth - and you have brought him from the depths, Hazel Levesque. You have made him anew. His awakening cannot be stopped. Only one thing remains._**

**Hazel clenched her fists. She was terrified, but now that her mother was free, she felt like she could confront her enemy at last. This creature, this evil goddess, had ruined their lives. Hazel wasn't going to let her win.**

**"I won't help you anymore!" she yelled.**

_**But I am done with your help, girl. I brought you here for one reason only. Your mother required... incentive.**_

**Hazel's throat constricted. "Mother?"**

**"I'm sorry, Hazel. If you can forgive me, please - know that it was only because I loved you. She promised to let you live if -"**

**"If _you _sacrifice yourself," Hazel said, realizing the truth. "She needs to you give your life willingly to raise that - that _thing._"**

_**Alcyoneus, **_**Gaea said. _Eldest of the giants. He must rise first, and this will be how his new homeland - far from the gods. He will walked these icy mountains and forests. He will raise an army of monsters. While the gods are divided, fighting each other in this mortal World War, he will send forth his armies to destroy Olympus._****  
**

**The earth goddess's dreams were so powerful, they cast shadows across the cave walls - ghastly shifting images of Nazi armies raging across Europe, Japanese planes destroying American cities. Hazel finally understood. The gods of Olympus would take sides in the battle as they always did in human wars. While the gods fought each other to a blood standstill, an army of monsters would rise in the north. Alcyoneus would revive his brother giants and sent them forth to conquer the world. The weakened gods would fall. The mortal conflict would rage for decades until a all civilization was swept away, and the earth goddess awakened fully. Gaea would rule forever.**

"Sounds like a nice place to live," Leo smirked.

_**All this, **_**the goddess purred, _because your mother was greedy and cursed you with the gift of finding riches. In my sleeping state, I would have needed decades more, perhaps even centuries, before I found the power to resurrect Alcyoneus myself. But now he will wake, and soon, so shall I!_**

**With terrible certainty, Hazel knew what would happen next. The only thing Gaea needed was a willing sacrifice - a soul to be consumed for Alcyoneus to awaken. Her mother would step into the fissure and touch that horrible spire - and she would be absorbed.**

"Absorbed. Funny."

**"Hazel, go." Her mother rose unsteadily. "She'll let you live, but you must hurry."**

**Hazel believed it. That was the most horrible thing. Gaea would honor the bargain and let Hazel live. Hazel would survive to see the end of the world, knowing that she'd caused it.**

**"No." Hazel made her decision. "I won't live. Not for that."**

**She reached deep into her soul. She called on her father, the Lord of the Underworld, and summoned all the riches that lay in his vast realm. The cavern shook.**

**Around the spire of Alcyoneus, oil bubbled, the churned and erupted like a boiling cauldron.**

_**Don't be foolish, **_**Gaea said, but Hazel detected concern in her tone, maybe even fear. _You will destroy yourself for nothing! Your mother will still die!_****  
**

"That' sounds better than seeing the end of the world," Hermes muttered.

"That's the cowardly way out," Ares grunted. "Only cowards would die before they can fight."

"She _is _fighting," Athena smiled a little, "in her own way. She will die saving the world."

**Hazel almost wavered. She remembered her father's promise: someday her curse would be washed away; a descendant of Neptune would bring her peace. He'd even said she might find a horse of her own. Maybe that strange stallion in the hills was meant for her. But none of that would happen if she died now. She'd never see Sammy again, or return to New Orleans. Her life would be thirteen short, bitter years with an unhappy ending.**

**She met her mother's eyes. For once, her mother didn't look sad or angry. Her eyes shone with pride.**

**"You were my gift, Hazel," she said. "My most precious gift. I was foolish to think I needed anything else."**

**SHe kissed Hazel's forehead and held her close. Her warmth gave Hazel the courage to continue. They would die, but not as sacrifices to Gaea. Instinctively Hazel knew that their final act would reject Gaea's power. Their souls would go to the Underworld, and Alcyoneus would not rise - at least not yet.**

"So Gaea tried to attack Olympus a long time ago." Annabeth muttered. "But Hazel held her off. Saving us from destruction."

"Pretty much," Nico said, his eyes sparkled. Annabeth could tell that he loved his sister, even if she wasn't Bianca.

**Hazel summoned the last of her willpower. The air turned searing hot. The spire began to sink. Jewels and chunks of gold shot from the fissure with such force, they cracked the cavern walls and sent shrapnel flying, stinging Hazel's skin through her jacket.**

_**Stop this! **_**Gaea demanded. _You cannot prevent his rise. At best, you will delay him - a few decades. Half a century. Would you trade your lives for that?_****  
**

**Hazel have her an answer.**

_**The last night,**_** the raven had said.**

**The fissure exploded. The roof crumbled. Hazel sank into her mother's arms, into darkness, as oil filled her lungs and the island collapse into the bay.**

"That's it," Apollo said. "That was totally depressing."

"Hazel..." Sally was staring ahead. "I can't imagine the pain that little girl went through."

"She was only thirteen," Paul agreed, "that's too much for a little girl."

"Demigods have a hard life," Zeus said with a cold tone, "that's the way it is. Your own son had seen about as must as Hazel did at age thirteen."

"Yes, but he didn't die." Sally said.

"Hazel is needed in our time," Hades said, "she needed to die so she could be brought back to help us."

"She's another one of the seven." Piper guessed. "Right?"

"Right," Aphrodite said, "good guess."

"It's my turn to read," Artemis snatched the book away from her twin. "I pray that my chapter isn't as horrid."

"I hope it is."

"I don't need mumbling, Apollo."

**END OF HAZEL 17**


	19. Hazel 18

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**HAZEL 18**

**"Hazel!" Frank shook her arms, sounding panicked. "Come on, please. Wake up!"**

Artemis read.

"Oh yeah." Conner smiled. "We forgot about them."

"They must've been panicked," Thalia muttered.

"She probably looked like she died." Luke said.

"Who wouldn't freak out?" Rachel asked.

**She opened her eyes. The night sky blazed with stars. The rocking of the boat was gone. She was lying on solid ground, her bundled sword and pack beside her.**

**She sat up groggily, her head spinning. They were on a cliff overlooking a beach. About a hundred feet away, the ocean glinted in the moonlight. The surf washed gently against the stern of their beached boat. To her right, hugging the edge of the cliff, was a building like a small church with a searchlight in the steeple. A lighthouse, Hazel guessed. Behind them, fields of tall grass rustled in the wind.**

**"Where are we?" she asked.**

**frank exhaled. "Thank the gods you're awake!"**

"You didn't think she was awake when she sat up?"

**"We're in Mendocino, about a hundred and fifty miles north of the Golden Gate."**

Paul whistled. "They've been moving."

**"A hundred and fifty miles?" Hazel groaned. "I've been out ****_that _****long."**

**Percy knelt beside her, the sea wind sweeping his hair. He put his hand on her forehead as if checking for a fever. "We couldn't wake you. Finally we decided to bring you ashore. We thought maybe the seasickness -"**

**"It wasn't seasickness." She took a deep breath. She couldn't hide the truth from them anymore. She remembered what Nico had said: ****_If a flashback like that happens when you're in combat..._**

"That would kill her."

**"I - I haven't been honest with you," she said. "What happened was a blackout. I have them once in a while."**

**"A blackout?" Frank took Hazel's hand, which startled her... through pleasantly so. "Is it medical? Why haven't I noticed before?"**

**"I try to hide it," she admitted. "I've been lucky so far, but it's getting worse. It's not medical... not really. Nico says it's a side effect from my past, from where he found me."**

**Percy's intense green eyes were hard to read. She couldn't tell whether he was concerned or wary.**

**"Where exactly did Nico find you?" he asked.**

"There's no use hiding it," Annabeth said. "If your on a quest with people you can just hide things from them. It's better if you tell them everything."

**Hazel's tongue felt like cotton. She was afraid if she started talking, she'd slip back into the past, but they deserved to know. If she failed them on this quest, zonked out when they needed her most... she couldn't bear that idea.**

**"I'll explain," she promised. She clawed through her pack. Stupidly, she'd forgotten to bring a water bottle. "Is... is there anything to drink?"**

"Change the subject."

**"Yeah." Percy muttered a curse in Greek. "That was dumb. I left my supplies down at the boat."**

**Hazel felt bad asking them to take care of her, but she'd woken up parched and exhausted, as if she'd lived the last few hours in both the past and the present. She shouldered her pack and sword. "Never mind. I can walk..."**

**"Don't even think about it," Frank said. "Not until you've had some food and water. I'll get the supplies."**

**"No, I'll go." Percy glanced at Frank's hand on Hazel's. Then he scanned the horizon as if he sensed trouble, but there was nothing to see - just the lighthouse and the field of grass stretching inland. "You two stay here. I'll be right back."**

"I guess he's not as dense anymore..." Thalia whispered to no one.

**"You sure?" Hazel said feebly. "I don't want you to -"**

**"It's fine," said Percy. "Frank, just keep your eyes open. Something about this place... I don't know."**

**"I'll keep her safe," Frank promised.**

**Percy dashed off.**

**Once they were alone, Frank seemed to realize he was still holding Hazel's hand. He cleared his throat and let go.**

"They are _so _getting together," Aphrodite said.

"We figured," Artemis muttered.

**"I, um... I think I understand you blackouts." He said. "And where you came from."**

**Her heartbeat stumbled. "You do?"**

**"You seem so different from other girls I've met." He blinked, then rushed on. "Not like... ****_bad _****different. Just the way you talk. The things that surprise you - like songs, or TV shows, or slag people use. You talk about your life like it happened a long time ago. You were born in a different time, weren't you? You came from the Underworld."**

"Holy Hephaestus." Leo said. "I can't believe he got it."

"He hit the nail on the head," Percy said, "guess he's not a stupid as everyone makes him seem."

**Hazel wanted to cry - not because she was sat, but because it was such a relief to hear someone say the truth. Frank didn't act revolted or scared. He didn't look at her as if she were a ghost or some awful undead zombie.**

**"Frank, I -"**

**"We'll figure it out," he promised. "You're alive now. We're going to keep you that way."**

"Aw," Silena sighed.

**The grass rustled behind them. Hazel's eyes stung in the cold wind. **

**"I don't deserve a friend like you," she said. "You don't know what I am... what I've done."**

**"Stop that." Frank scowled. "You're great! Besides, you're not the only one with secrets."**

"Like Percy."

**Hazel stared at him. "I'm not?"**

**frank started to say something. Then he tensed.**

**"What?" Hazel asked.**

**"The wind's stopped."**

**She looked around and noticed he was right. THe air had become perfectly still.**

**"So?" she asked.**

**Frank swallowed. "So why is the grass still moving?"**

"Oh, freak."

**Out of the corner of her eye, Hazel saw dark shapes ripple through the field.**

**"Hazel!" Frank tried to grab her arms, but it was too late. **

**Something knocked him backward. Then a force like a grassy hurricane wrapped around Hazel and dragged her into the fields.**

"We'll she's dead," Travis said, "her chapters were nice while they lasted."

"That's it," Artemis raised he eyebrows. "That was short."

"That means it's my turn," Hermes grunted.

**END OF HAZEL 18**

**It's 6:58 in the morning. And I'm hungary. So I'm going to go and heat up leftover pizza. #HEALTHYPEOPLE**


	20. Hazel 19

**I'm having like a book frenzy week. I've already read like three books, and I just want to read more. But I'm still stuck in the other books... I hate it when this happens.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**HAZEL 19**

**Hazel was en expert on ****_werid._**

Hermes read.

**She'd seen her mother possessed by an earth goddess. She'd created a giant out of gold. She'd destroyed an island, died, and came back from the Underworld.**

**But getting kidnapped by field grass? That was new.**

"What kind of monster is that?" Piper asked.

Demeter smirked.

**She felt like she were trapped in a funnel cloud of plants. She'd heard of modern-day singers jumping into crowds of fans and getting passed overhead by thousands of hands. SHe imagined this was similar - only the was moving a thousands times faster, and the grass blades weren't adoring fans.**

"They probably want to eat her."

**She couldn't sit up. She couldn't touch the ground. Her sword was still in her bedroll, strapped to her back, but she couldn't reach it. The plants kept her off balance, tossing her around, slicing her face and arms. She could barely make out the stars through the tumble of green, yellow, and black.**

**Frank's shouting faded into the distance.**

**It was hard to think clearly, but Hazel knew one thing: She was moving fast. Wherever she was being taken, she'd soon be too far away for her friends to find her.**

**She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the tumbling and tossing. She sent her thoughts into the earth below her. Gold, silver - she'd settle for anything that might disrupt her kidnappers.**

**She felt nothing. Riches under the earth - zero.**

"That's weird," Nico said.

**She was about to despair when she felt a huge cold spot pass beneath her. She locked onto it with all her concentration, dropping a mental anchor. Suddenly the ground rumbled. The swirl of plants released her and she was thrown upward like a catapult projectile.**

**MOmentarily weightless, she opened her eyes. She twisted her body in midair. The ground was about twenty feet below her. Then she was falling. Her combat training kicked in. She'd practiced dropping from giant eagles before. She tucked into a roll, turned the impact into a somersault, and came up standing.**

"That's a cool skill," Percy noted.

"We teach that at Camp Half-Blood," Annabeth grumbled. "It's not like she's the only one who can do that." The immediately regretted her words. They sounded like she had hatred toward Hazel. Which Annabeth didn't, she was finding herself becoming fond of the girl. Even though she was only reading about her. But then when Percy complimented her, Annabeth couldn't help but snap something. Anything. Even if she didn't think her words through.

Percy raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Annabeth, dear, are you getting jealous? Want me to compliment your skills more often?"

Annabeth felt her face turn bright red, even though what he had just said was the opposite of what she wanted. "I want you to stay as far away from me as possible." And that was the truth. "The only thing I meant by that was that we teach the same skill at _our _camp. It's not that special, and if you stuck around long enough, you might've learned it."

Percy was still smirking when he said, "is that so?" but it was quiet and Annabeth was done defending herself, she wanted to shut up before she said anything else to make herself looking even more stupid.

**She unsung her bedroll and drew her sword. A few yards to her left, an outcropping of rock the size of a garage jutted from the sea of grass. Hazel realized it was her anchor. She'd _caused _the rock to appear.**

**The grass rippled around it. Angry voices hissed in dismay at the massive clump of stone that had broken their progress. Before they could regroup, Hazel ran to the rock and clambered to the top.**

**The grass swayed and rustled around her like the tentacles of a giant undersea anemone. Hazel could sense her kidnappers' frustration.**

**"Can't grow on this, can you?" she yelled. "Go away, you bunch of weeds! Leave me alone."**

**"Schist," said an angry voice from the grass.**

"Wait, what?" Paul muttered.

**Hazel raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"**

**"Schist! A big pile of schist."**

Travis, Conner, and Apollo started laughing hysterically. Hermes chuckled a little, before composing himself again. Everyone else was too confused and stunned to find humor.

**A nun at St. Agnes Academy had once washed Hazel's mouth with lye soap for saying something very similar, so she wasn't sure how to respond. Then, all around her rock island, the kidnappers materialized from the grass. At first glance like looked like Valentine angels - a dozen chubby little Cupid babies. As they stepped closer, Hazel realized they were neither cute nor angelic.**

"Again I say that's creepy." Will muttered. "Everything in this book is creepy, depressing, or disturbing."

"I think this in more in the disturbing catagory." Rachel offered.

Will tilted his head, thinking. "Yeah, your right."

**They were the size of toddlers, with rolls of baby fat,but their skin had a strange greensih hue, as if cholorophyll ran thorugh their veins. They had dry brittle wings like cornhusks, and tufts of white hair like corn silk. Their faces were haggard, putted with kernels of grain. Their eyes were soild green, and their teeth were canine fangs.**

"That's something out of a nightmare," Sally said.

**The largest creature stepped forward. He wore a yellow loincloth, and his hair was spiky, like the bristles on a stalk of wheat. He hissed at Hazel and waddled back and forth so quickly, she was afraid the loincloth might fall off.**

"That would suck," Travis said.

**"Hate this schist!" the creature complained. "Wheat cannot grow!"**

**"Sorghum cannot grow!" another piped up.**

**"Barley!" yelled a third. "Barely cannot grow. Curse the schist!"**

**Hazel's knees wobbled. The little creatures might have been funny if they weren't surrounding her, staring up at her with those pointed teeth and hungry green eyes. They were like Cupid piranhas.**

**"You mean the rock?" she managed. "This rock is called schist?"**

"That's a stupid name for a rock."

**Hazel began to understand how she'd summoned it. "It's a precious stone. Is it valuable?"**

**"Bah!" she the one in the yellow loincloth. "Foolish native people made jewelry from it, yes. Valuable? Maybe. Not as good as wheat."**

**"Or sorghum!"**

**"Or barley!"**

"I agree with these _karpoi_," Demeter muttered.

Hades rolled his eyes. "They are the enemy Demeter. You shouldn't agree with them."

"It's not like I'm going to let them win the war," Demeter scowled, "but I will agree with their likes."

**The others chimed in, calling out different types of grain. The circled the rock, making no effort to climb it - at least not yet. IF they decided to swarm her, there was no way she could fend off all of them.**

**"You're Gaea's servants," she guessed, just to keep them talking. Maybe Percy and Frank weren't too far away. Maybe they'd be able to see her, standing so tall above the fields. She wished that her sword glowed like Percy's.**

**The yellow-diapered Cupid snarled.**

"That's should be his nickname now," Conner said.

"Mr. Yellow-Diaper Man!" Travis smirked.

**"We are the _karpoi _spirits of the grain. Children of Earth Mother, yes! We have been her attendants since forever. Before nasty humans cultivated us, we were wild. We will be again. Wheat will destroy all!"**

**"No, sorghum will rule!"**

**"Barely shall dominate!"**

"Hardly anyone eats sorghum anymore," Rachel muttered.

"People in Afraica do," Annabeth informed.

**The others joined in, each _korpos _cheering for his own variety.**

**"Right." Hazel swallowed her revulsion. "So you're Wheat, then - you in the yellow, um, britches."**

**"Hmmmm," said Wheat.**

"'Britches?'"

**"Come down from your schist, demigod. We must take you to our mistress's army. They will reward us. They will kill you slowly!"**

**"Tempting," hazel said, "but no thanks."**

**"I will give you wheat!" said Wheat, as if this were a very fine offer in exchange for life. "So must wheat!"**

**Hazel tried to think. How far had seen been carried? HOw long would it take her friends to find her? The _karpoi _were getting bolder, approaching the rock in twos and threes, scratching at the schist to see if if would hurt them.**

**"Before I get down..." She raised her voice, hoping it would carry over the fields. "Um, explain something to me, would you? If you're grain spirits, shouldn't you be on the gods' side? Isn't the goddess of agriculture Ceres -"**

**"Evil name!" Barley wailed.**

"I lost all respect for them." Demeter crossed her arms, obviously angry.

**"Cultivates us!" Sorghum spat. "Makes us grow in disgusting rows. Lets humans eat us. Pah! When Gaea is mistress of the world, we will grow wild, yes!"**

**"Well, naturally," Hazel said. "So this army of hers, where you're taking me in exchange for wheat -"**

**"Or barley," Barley offered.**

**"Yeah," Hazel agreed. "This army is where, now?"**

**"Just over the ridge!" Sorghum clapped his hands excitedly.**

**"The Earth Mother - oh, yes! - she told us: 'Look for the daughter of Pluto who lives again. Find her! Bring her alive! I have many tortures planned for her.' The giant Polybotes will reward us for you life! Then we will march south and destroy the Romans. We can't be killed, you know. But you can, yes."**

"Why are monsters so stupid?" Will shook his head. "They might get closer to winning a war if they didn't tell us all of their plans."

**"That's wonderful." Hazel tried to sound enthusiastic. It wasn't easy, knowing Gaea had special revenge planned for her. "So you - you can't be killed because Alcyoneus has captured Death, is that it?"**

**"Exactly!" Barley said.**

**"And he's keeping his chained in Alaska," Hazel said, "at... let's see, what's the name of that place?"**

**Sorghum started to answer, but Wheat flew at him and knocked his down. The _karpoi _began to fight, dissolving into funnel clouds of grain. Hazel considered making a run for it. Then Wheat re-formed, holding Sorghum in a headlock. "Stop!" he yelled at the others. "Multigrain fighting is no allowed!"**

Apollo laughed. "That's funny."

**The _karpoi _solidified into chubby Cupid piranhas again. **

**Wheat pushed Sorghum away.**

**"Oh, clever demigod," he said. "Trying to trick us into giving secrets. No, you'll never find the lair of Alcyoneus."**

**"I already know where it is," she said with false confidence. "He's on the island in Resurrection Bay."**

**"Ha!" Wheat sneered. "That place sank beneath the waves long ago. You should know that! Gaea hates your for it. When you thwarted her plans, she was forced to sleep again. Decades and decades! Alcyoneus - not until the dark times was he able to rise."**

**"The nineteen-eighties," Barley agreed. "Horrible! Horrible!"**

**"Yes," Wheat said. " And our mistress _still _sleeps. Alcyoneus was forced to bide his time in the north, waiting, planning. Only now does Gaea begin to stir. OH, but she remembered you, and so does her son!"**

"She's dead." Luke said. "She has nothing against a giant."

"That's what you said when Jason went against one." Will pointed out. "But he still won."

Luke rolled his eyes. "He had luck."

"Whatever. Don't admit you were wrong."

**Sorghum crackled with glee. "YOu will never find the prison of Thanatos. All of Alaska is the giant's home. He could be keeping Death anywhere! Years it would take you to find him, and your poor camp has only days. Better you surrender. We will give you grain. So much grain."**

"Deny the grain!" Demeter shouted. "They are evil! They don't have my blessing!"

**Hazel's sword felt heavy. She'd dreaded returning to Alaska, but at least she'd had an idea where to start looking for Thanatos. She'd assumed that the island where she had died hadn't been completely destroyed, or possibly had risen again when Alcyoneus woke. She had hoped that his base would be there. But if the island was really gone, she had no idea how to find the giant. Alaska was huge. They could search for decades and never find him.**

"They'll find him," Sally said. "They always do."

**"Yes," Wheat said, sensing her anguish. "Give up."**

**Hazel gripped her _spatha. _"Never!" She raised her voice again, hoping it would somehow reach her friends. "If I have to destroy you all, I will. I am the daughter of Pluto!"**

"Yeah, yeah. We've heard this all before."

**The _karpoi _advanced. They gripped the rock, hissing at if it were scalding hot, but they began to climb.**

**"Now you will die," Wheat promised, gnashing his teeth. "You will feel the wrath of grain!"**

**Suddenly there was a whistling sound. "Wheat's snarl froze. He looked down at the golden arrow that had just pierced his chest. Then he dissolves into pieces of Chex Mix.  
**

"That's it," Hermes muttered.

"Why can't _I _get the fighting chapters?" Ares groaned again.

"Will you stop bringing it up every chapter?" Hera scowled. "It's annoying."

"Demeter," Hermes ignored the two, "it's your turn."

"Perfect!" Demeter grabbed the book and clenched it in her hands. "I get the chapter where they kill those stupid _karpoi_! They deserve a horrible death for mocking my name!"

**END OF HAZEL 19**

**I just pre-ordered Percy Jackson's Greek Gods. I ordered it on my kindle, so I can read it on Wednesday! I am excited.**


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